Foxes and Fans
by AdariasWrath23
Summary: Naruto has grown too powerful so Akatsuki must find another way to capture him...they abduct Sakura, knowing he will come for her...but Naruto knows that his only chance to save her is to locate Sasuke and Orochimaru and enlist Sasuke's aid. SasuSaku
1. Chapter 1

**Beginning Author's Note, Please read (or at least skim through)-**

For those of you familiar with my last story, you know how this works. BUT for those of you who are new to the wondrous world of my writing, please be aware that this story is going to stay as TRUE to the manga as possible. So if you're not familiar with the current manga line, you should make yourself familiar—or it's possible certain things will not make sense to you completely and it may contain some **SPOILERS**.

As with my last story…**I will update daily** or at least every other day. Due to the holiday season my business requires my presence a little more frequently. However, this story will be done and it will be done in a timely manner.

And I still intend to do a Kakashi/Rin story, but this one seemed to take form faster in my mind, so I will complete this one first.

Thanks!

Oh and Disclaimer: Between you and me—I don't own Naruto. I do own this story line. But as usual…fanfiction of my fanfiction is still just fanfiction. So if you can write this story better than me…have at it.

**Chapter one: Reality**

_This story takes place post-time skip after manga chapter 330. Hidan and Kakuzu are both dead and both team seven and team ten have returned from that mission._

Sakura sat up in bed. She shivered slightly and looked down at herself, amused that she had been so tired that she had fallen asleep in her clothes.

_But why was her room so cold?_

Her green eyes flicked to the window. She didn't remember leaving it open. Walking over to it, she stared out at the sleeping village before her. A large silver moon hung in the night sky, illuminating the buildings below.

Sakura's expression harden and her back straightened as she sensed something behind her.

_Wait…wait…_

When she could almost feel the touch of someone else, she spun around and threw a well-aimed punch into the shrouded figure.

The cloaked form grunted with the impact but only slid back a few steps. The medic looked up in alarm. _That punch would have been enough to disintegrate a wall._ She looked up at the grinning face. In the dim light of her bedroom, the strange man's skin looked white though in reality, it was a pale shade of blue. His beady eyes stared at her as he continued to show rows of razor teeth.

_Kisame._ Sakura knew about the shark creature. It was said his strength could well rival that of Tsunade.

Her eyes did not miss the massive weapon strapped to his back. If she didn't have her strength to rely on, she was poorly matched in this fight. She would have to fall back on the evasive tactics that the Hokage had drilled into her mind.

Mere feet away from the window, Sakura prepared herself to turn and dive through the narrow opening. But as she went to make her move, she found the diffused moonlight blotted out by another form. Her path to the window had been effectively blocked.

She could not make out his face in the new darkness, but she knew without a doubt who it was.

Instantly, she looked at his feet—a trick Gai-sensei had developed to avoid the sharingan. She inched her way toward the wall, unwilling to provide them with a way to get behind her. As long as she could see them coming, she could find a hole in the attack pattern.

"Haruno Sakura." Itachi's voice was low. "You can come with us willingly or," he stepped closer, "we can take you with us by force."

She directed her glare to Kisame but didn't reply.

"We will break every bone in your body if we have to." The Uchiha said.

Sakura swallowed and tightened her fists. She knew the odds were not in her favor and she knew the outcome of this fight already. But she was damned if she was going to let them take her without a fight. And the commotion might at least alert someone to her situation.

Her eyes narrowed, her stance becoming defensive. "Well then," she whispered. "I guess you're going to have to break every bone in my body."

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Naruto burst into Tsunade's office, ignoring the outraged yells from the shinobi already present within.

The sannin looked at him and frowned. "Eh? Naruto, why aren't you with your team? I thought I made it clear what you were to do."

He didn't reply, his face a livid picture of anger.

Tsunade motioned for the other people present to leave. Once they were gone, she folded her arms across her chest and waited for the angry blond to speak.

But Naruto remained silent. It was something that the Hokage was unaccustomed to from the energetic young man.

"Naruto," she said. "I know you're worried about Sakura, but the best thing you can do is to get ready and head out—"

"No." He interrupted her. "No."

The sannin's eyes went wide. "What? What do you mean 'no'?"

"I said no." His eyes were downcast. "There's a better way. A chance to save Sakura and…someone else… as well."

Tsunade stared at him. "I'm listening."

When Naruto spoke, it was only a whisper. "Sasuke."

"Sasuke?"

He nodded. "I need Sasuke's help to save her."

"I thought the Uchiha boy had made it clear that he had no reservations about killing you—either of you. What makes you think he would want to help you? What makes you think Orochimaru would let him?"

"Sasuke wants to kill his brother." Naruto's determined blue gaze met her uncertain brown one. "If we go and defeat Itachi without him…we might never get him back from that snake-sannin. And," he paused momentarily, "I think that if Sakura hadn't charged at him the last time we met that he wouldn't have attacked her. And even now, I'm not sure that he would have. He reacted to Yamato jumping in front of her. She was the only one to leave there unharmed that day."

Tsunade took a deep breath. She couldn't deny that what Naruto was saying had merit. "Even so, I can't ask the rest of your team to follow you into this foolish quest."

"I don't want you to," he said. "I will go alone. Sasuke will feel less threatened if I'm alone."

She shook her head. "No. No one goes alone. Even if I agreed, I still wouldn't let you."

"I'm going," Naruto ground his teeth. "You can try to stop me, but I'm going."

Leaning back in her chair, the Hokage glanced at Naruto. His body was quaking with rage and she wondered if he would be able to control the demon fox in this emotional state. She was prepared to make a deal with him, because she knew he would go whether she wanted him to or not.

"Alright, Naruto. I'll let you go—but—you will go with your team Don't fight me on this, I'm going to have a hard enough time as it is explaining it to the council." She shook her head. "Go on, go inform everyone."

He didn't smile. Something that was also uncommon for the young man. "Thank you, Tsunade-sama."

She watched him leave.

It was the first time he had ever called her by her proper title.

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The steady drip-drip-drip of water echoed inside of her mind. Wearily, Sakura lifted her head, trying to open her badly bruised eyes.

What she could see was shrouded in a pain-induced haze, but it appeared that she was in some kind of cave-like room. She could make out the straight outlines of bars, and she could feel the cold burn of metal around her wrists.

She moved her arms slowly, knowing that more than one bone was broken, and the rustle of chains met her ears.

She would have smiled if she wasn't in so much pain. They underestimated her if they thought chains could hold her.

But as if reading her mind, a voice echoed through the small room. "You can try, if you want." Kisame sneered. "But I designed them myself to be used against people like myself."

Sakura's heart felt like it dropped into her stomach.

The blue man laughed. "That's right, unbreakable. Even for strength such as yours."

Sakura tensed slightly. _Could she still use her chakra?_ The familiar warm feel of it comforted her. Even if she could not break free, at least she would eventually be able to heal herself.

The black splotch in her line of sight that was Kisame was joined by another. This one stood and watched her for a moment before speaking.

"I apologize, Sakura-san, if you find your accommodations less than pleasing."

She shuddered at the familiarity of Itachi's voice.

"But be aware that if you continue to fight us, we will continue to enforce things in a less than pleasant manner."

"What do you want?" Her voice rasped out.

"The Kyuubi. Isn't that obvious?" The Uchiha watched as she struggled to sit up and lean against the wall. "He has become far too powerful for us to capture him as planned. You will provide us with a different way to get what we want."

"Naruto will never do it," Sakura could barely whisper. "Your plan won't work."

"You and I both know he will come for you. If it humors you to lie to yourself then continue to lie. But when he comes—and he will come—as long as you're alive, it won't matter what state you are in. Perhaps _that_ is what you should concentrate on."

Sakura closed her eyes as the two Akatsuki walked away.

Once she healed herself, she would begin to formulate a plan.

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**Coming soon, Chapter Two: Finding Sasuke**

First chapter is always short to build suspense, look for chapter two later tonight or tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

…If you think that _I_ own Naruto, you are sadly mistaken….

**Chapter 2: Finding Sasuke**

Kakashi's lazy expression did not change as he watched Naruto race through the trees before them.

He knew the young man was lost in his own world of thought. He knew he was blaming himself for Sakura's disappearance.

The copy-nin wished he could say he had been surprised when Tsunade had told him the news. But for years he had, himself, planned out the many options Akatsuki had at getting the Kyuubi. And once Naruto had completed the ransengan jutsu, Kakashi had known that their options would be severely limited.

He just never thought they would attack her in her own home. It had just been assumed that if they came, the rest of the team would have been with her. And for that, Kakashi blamed himself. Perhaps he should have alerted Sakura to the serious danger she was unwittingly in.

He wondered if Naruto had realized it.

But the normally happy and lively young man had been silent since delivering the change in assignment to his teammates.

Yamato sidled up to the silver-haired jonin. "Kakashi, we need to stop for a while—figure out a plan. I've seen the new Sasuke. And I know what he can do. This isn't something we can just rush into. As it is, it won't take us more than a few hours to reach the border of Sound."

Kakashi nodded and increased his speed to bring him even with Naruto.

The other shinobi did not acknowledge him.

"Naruto, let's stop for a moment. You need to clue the rest of the team into your plan."

"There is no plan." The youth didn't slow down. "When I see Sasuke, I'll know what to do."

"Okay, but how to you plan on _finding _him?"

That caused Naruto to stop. Soon, a grateful Yamato and Sai joined them on the tree branch.

The Kyuubi teen grinned sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess I didn't really think about that."

Sai watched Naruto's expression carefully. From what he'd learned about emotions, he could tell that his comrade was severely concerned about Sakura. Despite the goofy grin, Naruto's eyes held no trace of the humor he was playing off.

The former ROOT member had often wondered about the relationship between his two teammates. While Naruto held obvious feelings toward the pink-haired healer, she was harder to read when it came to them. Judging from her reaction on their first mission together, he figured her feelings for Sasuke were still intact. Why else would she have sent him flying backwards with a smile-hidden punch?

However, just because she was his friend, was enough reason for Sai to want to save her. He couldn't imagine how he would have felt if his connection was a deep as Naruto's. He figured it would have been akin to his feelings of loss when his brother died.

"Alright," Kakashi looked at them. "We're going to encounter nothing but enemies in Sound. I don't think it's wise to even consider sneaking through there, hoping to pass by unnoticed."

"Hmmm," Yamato nodded thoughtfully. "Are you suggesting we let ourselves be captured?"

"Huh?" Naruto looked at him. "How did you come up with that from what Kakashi-sensei just said?"

"Common sense," Sai raised an eyebrow at him. "If we make ourselves interesting enough, more than likely we'll be taken to Orochimaru. Just as an invader into Fire Country would be taken to the Hokage."

"Ah," Naruto nodded. "I get it."

Kakashi looked at the blond. "There's something else, Naruto. You're going to have to keep your emotions in check when you see Sasuke. We already know he can suppress the demon fox, so it won't do you any good. But it won't help any if he thinks you're here as a threat to him."

"Do you think he's still Sasuke?" Sai asked the question they had all been thinking. "It's nearing the three-year mark."

"It doesn't matter!" Naruto replied. "I'll appeal to whatever is left of Sasuke! Even if Orochimaru is in his body! I won't let that stand in my way!"

Kakashi watched him with interest. Naruto really was something else. His own determination had set the pace for theirs as well.

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It had taken a few hours, but Sakura had managed to heal most of the broken bones in her injured body. While they were still friable, they were at least whole, and able to finish healing on their own. Her bruises were healing faster due to her use of chakra, but were now turning a gruesome shade of brown and yellow.

She would let those heal the rest of the way on their own. No reason to make herself appear too healthy as of yet.

Her vision clear, Sakura studied the room she was in. The first thing she took note of was her bonds. Made of metal, they cut into her wrists as she tried to move them. The chains attached to the shackles appeared to be of the same substance.

Her eyes followed the links to where they met the wall.

_There has to be some connection that I can break._

She looked closely. The chains were connected to a metal plate and the metal plate was set on a metal bar that ran the length of the stone wall. This metal bar was connected to the metal bars of her cell.

_Damn_.

She frowned slightly. There had to be another way.

Her attention was drawn to the sound of footsteps approaching the front of the cell. She immediately looked away as the oldest Uchiha stepped into view.

"Sakura-san." His normally quiet voice held a hard edge to it. "Are you hungry?"

She ignored him, rubbing her aching wrists. _Just let the bastard get closer to me…We'll see who wins this time._ In reality, she knew that she could probably hurt Itachi in a one-on-one since he didn't have the physical strength to out do her like Kisame. But she had to grudgingly admit that she was in no position to do any attacking. Any blow she might land would only serve to deteriorate her current situation.

Itachi's voice broke her line of thought. "Is that a no? Because I can assure you that if you're not hungry, I can see to it that you are no longer offered food—at all."

Her green eyes snapped up, amusing Itachi as she winced when they made eye contact.

"Do you think I'll use my sharingan on you?"

She shifted uncomfortably, still refusing to answer him.

He walked into the cell, holding out the bowl he had been carrying. He stopped just short of her reach. Kneeling down, Itachi held the steaming bowl up to his face, inhaling deeply. He could see the hunger in Sakura's eyes as she followed his movement.

His red eyes looked at her bruised face. He knew she had enough chakra now to heal herself. It amused him that she left the marks on her face. She was more cunning that he had thought.

Sakura wanted to shy away from his stare, but she held her ground, wanting desperately to reach out and take the bowl of food.

He moved as if to hand it to her—

--and then dumped its contents on the cold stone floor.

"If you continue to learn your lessons the hard way," he walked out of the cell, "this will be a very long stay for you."

Sakura ground her teeth in anger as she stared at the quickly cooling pile of noodles. It was just out of her reach.

She waited patiently until she knew she was alone before she struggled to retrieve some of it.

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The country of Sound was very similar to that of Fire. There was no major difference in vegetation and it was hard to know when you had actually crossed the boundary between the two. But every member of team seven had been in this land before. They were ready for whatever surprises lay in store.

Naruto slowed his pace. They would have to be more cautious here, even though they wanted to be found. Being captured was one thing, being killed was quite another.

Kakashi nodded as Naruto glanced back at him.

They knew it wouldn't take long before they were being followed. Orochimaru was fanatical about the border of his country. Not even an ant crossed the line that he didn't know about.

A strange bird-like cry echoed through the air and the team came to a stop on the ground.

Kakashi nonchalantly uncovered his eye.

For the first time in a while, Naruto grinned in sincerity as Sai caught his eye. They circled in together, back to back, and waited.

The bird call sounded again.

And suddenly the air around them erupted into a swirling storm of feathers and talons. Birds swooped in from every tree, massing around the huddled group of shinobi. And as they began to disperse, three figures could be seen diving in through the confusion.

Naruto grimaced as someone landed a solid kick to his abdomen. He heard mutual noises from his companions and knew some of them had been hit as well.

And then the birds were gone and no sign of their attackers remained.

"Ready yourselves!" Kakashi's stance went from defensive to offensive. And another shrill cry pierced the air.

This time, from out of the brush came the snarling forms of wild dogs. This was something Kakashi could handle.

He bit his thumb, completing the seals as his own pack of ninja hounds appeared. They knew what to do and instantly went into motion. Kakashi took the moment of freedom to search for their hidden opponents.

His sharingan searched the trees.

"There! Naruto!" He pointed. "Up in the branches."

"Right!" The Kyuubi youth pressed his hands together. A small clumping of clones appeared and raced into the trees.

"Hey! Hey Sound shinobi!" Naruto's clones taunted them. "Come on down to the ground. Let's see what you're made of!"

Kakashi watched as the clones slowly lured the three shinobi out of hiding, using taijutsu to bring them closer to the small group. For the moment, Kakashi and Naruto were the only ones who had demonstrated their abilities—and that was the way they wanted to keep it.

Soon, the three Sound ninja grew more assured, easily defeating the clones Naruto had made. They came closer to the group, still cautious, but not viewing the Leaf shinobi as a threat.

"Oi," A dark-haired, badly scarred shinobi approached them. "What's your business in Sound?"

Kakashi bowed slightly, his eye covered again. "We wish to meet with Orochimaru."

The three Sound members chuckled, glancing at one another. The dark-haired man continued to speak. "Orochimaru-sama, eh? What makes you think you're worthy to stand in his presence?"

Kakashi pointed to Naruto. "This young man here holds the nine-tailed fox. He wishes to offer his services to the legendary sannin."

The ninjas looked at one another. They had heard of Naruto before and didn't doubt that the blond, blue-eyed man before them was none other than who he said he was. This was an interesting development indeed.

"My name is Ishimaru." The Sound leader motioned to his two cohorts. "And these are my teammates. If you wish to meet Orochimaru-sama, then you will follow us. But do not try anything. There is no reason we should not kill you."

Sai walked next to Naruto as they followed the group, studying the ugly man who had been addressing them. He was tall, almost a full head taller than most men. His black hair hung in heavy braids and within those braids were entwined various feathers and tufts of fur. His face was taunt and darkly tanned, with eyes the color of slate. While one side of his face remained smooth, the opposite side appeared to have been horribly burned.

Sai also noted the hint of a seal located on his left shoulder.

The only other thing of interest, was the intricate animal call that rested at Ishimaru's side. _So that's his power of sound._ Sai made a mental note. It was probable that he was capable to mimicking various animal noises, either to summon animals to him or to create illusions of them. He could not tell by what they had witnessed if it was both.

They walked for a long while, heading steadily uphill. When at last they stopped, they found themselves standing before a large cavernous opening.

Naruto stared into the blackness. He had been inside of one of Orochimaru's lairs before. This time, it was going to end differently.

"Come," Ishimaru motioned to them.

As they wound through the various tunnels, it was all Naruto could do to ignore the strange noises echoing off the walls. He couldnt be sure, but he thought most of them were human sounds. His memory flashed back to what he knew of the sannin and his partner, Kabuto. Both of them had a strange affinity for the obscene. And Kabuto was a medical ninja.

It sickened Naruto to think of what was going on behind the doors they passed.

But eventually, they arrived in a large, open chamber.

The surprise on Sasuke's face was apparent. Orochimaru, on the other hand, simply smiled as they entered.

The Sound shinobi knelt quickly. But before they could say anything, Sasuke pointed at the group.

His tone was dangerous. "You. I warned you. I am done with Konoha and with you. The only thing you accomplished by coming here is dieing!"

Everyone tensed.

And then Naruto chuckled. Afterward, Sai would consider it a dark kind of chuckle, almost as if it were an acceptance of the inevitable.

"Sasuke…" The blond glared at him. "The reason we're here isn't _you_!"

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**Coming soon: Chapter 3: The Decision**


	3. Chapter 3

…I have not owned, do not own, nor ever will own Naruto…

**Chapter 3: The Decision**

Sasuke's eyes bore into Naruto with such vehemence that the very air around them seemed to crackle with the force of it.

The Uchiha had known that they would come for him again. He wasn't so foolish as to think that after 3 years of searching they would just give up. He had hoped, though, that Orochimaru would have completed the body switch before they found him again.

For those years away from Konoha, all Sasuke had felt was hate. Hate for his brother. Hate for himself. Hate for Orochimaru. The drugs Kabuto gave him only served to increase that hate and his drive for power. They had also effectively blurred many of the memories he had of Konoha and kept him unhindered by any other emotions.

But the small part that remained of Sasuke's old consciousness instantly noted the person who was not present with his old team.

But the new Sasuke pushed the realization into the back of his mind.

His glare intensified. "I would have let you live, Naruto." He whispered ominously. "If you had just stayed away, you might have had a chance at a longer life. But now I can see that there is only one way for this to end—"

"Shut up you asshole!" Naruto's blue eyes blazed. "Didn't you hear what I said?! I'm not here to take you back to Konoha!"

Sasuke, though outwardly stone-faced, was inwardly surprised by this outburst. _They weren't here to take him back?_

Naruto continued on. "Right now, if we left here without you, it wouldn't matter one bit to me. I'm only here because I thought that this was the best chance we had of…of…"

His fierce gaze dropped to the floor. "…of saving Sakura from Itachi."

_Itachi_.

That last word seemed to hang in the air.

"Itachi?"

Naruto nodded, but it was Kakashi who spoke up.

"Sakura was taken from her home a few days ago. ANBU had known Akatsuki were in the village, but they couldn't track them fast enough to figure out what was going on. By the time they reached Sakura's home, she was gone. And since your only goal in life is revenge against your brother, it was decided that both our parties might benefit from this. Sasuke will get to kill Itachi, and we will have the strength we need to rescue Sakura."

"You cannot be suggesting that I let Sasuke-kun go with you," Orochimaru's eerie voice interrupted. "I would hate to think that you might take him and then never bring him back."

Kakashi's temper flared. "Oh, don't worry about your precious body—"

"It doesn't matter!" Naruto yelled over them. "I don't care how you do it. I don't care if all of Sound has to come with us. If you won't help me rescue Sakura, then you're going to have to accept the fact that _I_ will be the one to kill Itachi!" He directed his gaze back to his old friend. "If you don't go, you're going to lose whatever chance you have."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "And then what, you haul me back to Konoha in the end?"

"You bastard! Stop making this about you. It was never about you! Don't you get it?" Naruto was becoming dangerously angry.

Yamato placed a calming hand on his shoulder.

"Whatever," the blond grumbled. "I'm waiting outside. If you are coming with us, we're leaving first thing in the morning." He pointed at the Uchiha. "But whether you're there or not—we're still leaving."

Orochimaru motioned to one of the sound ninjas and the man turned to lead Naruto back the way they had come.

The rest of team seven stood uncertainly for a moment before they also turned left the large room.

No one had said another word.

Sasuke watched them leave and then stormed out, ignoring the snake sannin's attempts to speak with him. Orochimaru was his teacher and there was nothing beyond that. He despised the man on a personal level and it irked him to have to listen to him as much as he already did.

Once in his own room, he lay down on the bed and stared up at the low ceiling overhead.

_Itachi._ The name itself filled him with rage.

But a new image sprung, unbidden, into his mind. An image of Sakura the last time he had seen her.

She'd been angry that day, and had been ready to punch Sai, not realizing that he was watching her from the ledge up above. He had said her name—why he still didn't know. Had he wanted to get her attention? Or was it just the shock of seeing her after so long?

He just didn't know.

And then when he shocked them with his new chidori, he had left her untouched. _On purpose?_ He shook his head, frowning. He couldn't piece that event together in his mind.

And then there was the other man…Yamato, he had heard him called. He had jumped in front of Sakura as she charged at Sasuke. And Sasuke had rammed his blade through the man's shoulder. Would he have done that to Sakura if she had gotten close enough?

So many questions raced through the sharingan user's head. But it was strange, almost as if something was blocking him from acknowledging those thoughts and feelings. Something was throwing up a wall in his mind.

He thought about her face again. She had intended to attack him. Of that, he was sure. _She must have changed so much. She would never have done that back when they were teammates._ She clearly had become more self-assured over the years.

And now his brother had her.

Sasuke's jaw clenched. He had seen many horrible things in his time with Kabuto and Orochimaru but nothing compared to the mental damage his own flesh and blood was able to inflict.

He had known as soon as it had been explained, that he would go with Naruto and face Itachi. He had spent most of his life training towards that one goal, and he wasn't about to let his rival take that away from him.

But as Sasuke lay there, staring up at nothingness, he knew that he had to go for another reason—

--a reason he couldn't put a name to yet, but he knew it had to do with a certain pink-haired young woman.

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Kabuto prepared his pack, taking special care to make sure that the pills and special powders were sealed away in tight containers.

He smiled to himself as he worked.

Sasuke development had been putting a strain on his supplies. Orochimaru had the Uchiha on a strict regime of chakra and mind-altering drugs. Most of these, the youth was not even aware that he was taking. They were slipped in powdered form into food and even water. And as Sasuke's power grew, so did the need for more drugs.

Without the suppression the chemicals provided, the young man would be unstable. He already spoke with contempt when he addressed Orochimaru-sama. If his memories hadn't been hindered slightly, the thoughts of his friends and what he had given up could have possibly caused him to defect back to Fire Country.

While the memories were not gone, they were not easily accessed—the same way any feeling other than hate was suppressed as well.

The sadistic medic shouldered the heavy bundle.

It was time to go.

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Kakashi was on edge as the large group made their way through the forests of Sound.

A year ago, if someone had told him that he'd be tracking Akatsuki in the company of Orochimaru and Sasuke, he would have thought them to be out of their mind.

The two groups stayed parallel to one another as they traveled through the countryside. And Naruto and Sasuke stayed on opposite ends of the line.

Kabuto looked over at Yamato, who was traveling closest to him. "Sakura, eh?"

The former ANBU member glanced at him, remembering how he had healed her at one point in time. Still, he was uneasy sharing any information with the creepy young man.

"I hear Itachi is extremely skilled at torture." The man seemed to be talking to himself. "I can't even imagine the potential the sharingan could hold for that sort of thing."

Yamato ground his teeth in irritation but he ignored Orochimaru's subordinate.

Kabuto continued on anyway. "Just think, he could do anything to her. _Anything._"

The implication of that sentence was not lost on Yamato…but nor was it lost on two other members of the group.

Kabuto had expected Naruto's scathing glare, but it was Sasuke's cold look that wiped the smile from his face.

_Hmmm._ He thought. _Perhaps we need to up the medication again._

In between them, Orochimaru frowned slightly.

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Within the darkness of her cell, Sakura felt along the wall, stretching her arms out as far as the chains would allow. To an outside party it would have appeared that she was just trying to pass the time, but it was in actuality a way for her to gage the amount of reach she had in the cell.

Sakura had eaten her last bowl of food off the floor. Just as she had the previous two before that. She was not going to eat another one that way. Now, she knew that if she were to find a way out of this mess, she was going to have to use what was provided to fight back.

And that brought her to the chains.

They were unbreakable, yes. But that also meant that they would make a formidable weapon if she chose to choke someone with them.

Unfortunately neither Itachi nor Kisame had ventured that close to her. She knew that Kisame was unafraid of her. His strength matched hers well enough that he would approach her without caution. And she knew that Itachi was not afraid of her either—but the Uchiha was much more cautious of her than his large, blue partner.

While she was grateful that they hadn't attempted to harm her again, she was looking for an excuse to get a few good hits in.

She sighed. Escaping would not be possible if she didn't figure out how to get those chains off. Even if she managed to use them as a weapon, what good would that do if she were still pinned to the wall?

The flickering light in the hallway did little to illuminate her area—and it conveniently concealed the person that was watching her.

From the shadows, Itachi watched as the young woman felt around the cell. She walked from one end of her range of motion to the other—and back again. She raised her arms up and she stretched them outward. And even though his eyesight was not the best anymore, Itachi could see the raw areas on her wrists where the metal had rubbed.

He stepped out of hiding, amused as always when her startled eyes met his own. He walked into her cell and stood a few feet away from her. It was well beyond where she could reach him.

The one thing that continually surprised him was they way she glared at him. While there was a sensible amount of fear visible, there was also a huge amount of rage. Rage that could not have stemmed simply from her being captured.

"Your wrists," he pointed at her arm hanging at her side. "Why haven't you healed them?"

She turned away and walked back over to the wall, leaning against it and sliding down to a sitting position. He couldn't force her to talk to him.

Itachi's eyes narrowed. He hated stubbornness. It served no purpose. Those that knew their fate should just resign themselves to it.

"Sakura-san, you may think yourself brave but that will only serve you so far. You're hoping that I have underestimated you and will leave you with an opening for escape."

He stepped up to the edge of her reach. He knew her exact limit as well. "That is not the case. I have spent my life measuring my own abilities so that I might use them, in the end, for the ultimate cause. And because of this—I do not underestimate people."

She absent-mindedly ran a hand through her pink hair. Her eyes still held that murderous rage.

Itachi just stood, watching her. _There is something more to her. Something she is hiding._ He considered it for a moment—how easy it would be to invade her mind and figure it out. But he wasn't ready to expose her to the mangekyo world yet. If she forced him further, he might just do it.

But he could break her will without using it, of that he was certain.

So he sat, still beyond her reach, and folded his hands in his lap. He could have watched her from the hall or even from the shadows again, but it was so much harder for her to endure him staring at her from a few feet away.

Sakura fought the urge to lunge at him; yell at him; fight him with everything she had. Instead, she forced herself to stare right back at him. If he wanted to play that game, she was more than ready for it. She had been staring at the walls for hours; it would be no different with someone in front of them.

Itachi almost smiled as he saw the resolve in her eyes.

After a while, he would think of a way to surprise her and give her a new reason to be afraid of him.

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**Coming soon: Chapter 4: Harnessing the Kyuubi**


	4. Chapter 4

…I do own something—but it's not Naruto…

**Chapter 4: Harnessing the Kyuubi**

Naruto didn't know what to say. He just stood there, holding the parchment Sai had handed him. He had seen the newest member of team seven scribbling away in the fading evening light. But it had surprised him when Sai walked over a little later and handed him the picture.

For Naruto, he wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh or cry.

Sakura stared back at him from the drawing…but it was not an average picture of the young woman.

Sai smiled awkwardly. "It's how I remember Sakura-chan best."

The artist had drawn her as he remembered her from a split second in the past. Her eyes were angry yet determined her stance relaxed and strong, one arm slightly out-stretched. It was the image of her after she had hit Sai for the first time. He could almost hear her saying the words _'As for me, I don't want your forgiveness'_.

Eventually, Naruto grinned. "Thanks, Sai."

He wasn't sure just how long he sat there, with his back against the tree, staring at the picture. He would never forgive himself if something happened to her. It was his job to protect Sakura. He glanced over at Sasuke. Even if it meant saving her so that she could be with someone else.

From across the clearing, Sasuke did not miss Naruto's casual glance.

"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru crooned. "Perhaps this adventure will help us in more ways than one."

The Uchiha's dangerous eyes met the sannin's. "Hn."

"We will keep them around to help us defeat Akatsuki, and then, we will use your—our—power to suppress the Kyuubi and kill them. Konoha will easily be ours with them gone."

The Uchiha did not reply.

Orochimaru was accustomed to his silence.

Sasuke stood and cast a look back over to Naruto. _What is it that he keeps staring at?_

"Sasuke-kun!" Kabuto grabbed his arm. "Don't walk away from Orochimaru-sama!"

With a swift movement, Sasuke disengaged the medic from his arm and sent him flying back against a tree. Without a word, he walked over toward the blond.

Naruto was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice Sasuke until the Uchiha's shadow fell over him.

"Eh?" Their eyes locked in a temporary war of wills before Sasuke's gaze flicked down to where the parchment lay open on the ground.

Immediately, Naruto rolled it up and placed it in his pack.

"Let me see it." Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

Across the camp, Kakashi glanced up at them over the cover of his book. He prepared himself to jump in at a moment's notice.

But instead of arguing, Naruto reached back into his pack and held out the picture.

Sasuke took it, more forcefully than he intended, and opened it carefully. The image inside mirrored the look of Sakura that had been ingrained in his mind. But the expression captured in the art held a more dangerous aura. To Sasuke, it looked as if Sakura had been physically proving a point, drawing a line that wasn't to be crossed.

It was mesmerizing.

A few meters away, Orochimaru and Kabuto spoke together in hushed tones. They were watching Sasuke closely.

"We cannot wait too much longer, Kabuto-kun." The sannin whispered. "It's bad enough that Sasuke-kun already knows about his family history. If he meets with Itachi too soon…our plans will all fall apart. It has taken me many years to figure out a way to use Itachi's plans against him. It will be hard to betray him if our own plans do not go as they should."

"But how will we convince Sasuke to harness the Kyuubi if he won't let you take over his body?"

Orochimaru shrugged. "There is no option. In order to maintain my immortality, I _must_ have a new body. Sasuke has been molded to be that perfect host and all our future plans rely on me obtaining the sharingan."

"Do you think Sasuke will commit to the body-transfer now? His unquestioning obedience has been slipping greatly of late."

Orochimaru shook his head. "His memories are surging to the surface and his seal is weakening. We'll just have to convince him again of the reason he is with us." He motioned to the drugs in Kabuto's bag. "Perhaps we should give him something to remind him of just how much he hates his brother."

The smile on Kabuto's face grew.

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Sasuke tossed restlessly on his blanket. His dreams were tearing him apart again.

It had been a long time since he had had a nightmare. The sleep aids Kabuto gave him had kept them at bay—but now he was having another.

They were all the same.

The same images in his mind from when Itachi killed their family. The strange red world he had found himself in. The power of the mangekyo sharingan.

This dream was particularly vivid. The images seemed longer; deeper; more intense than they had been in a long time.

And when he awoke, drenched in his own sweat, he silently cursed the man who was the cause of it all.

_Itachi._

He looked around the slumbering camp. Kakashi and Kabuto remained awake. It was a testament to the fact that both groups distrusted each other. Nearby, Orochimaru's eyes were closed, a chilling smile still touching his lips.

Sasuke doubted that he was asleep.

The loud snoring, however, told him that Naruto had no reservations about sleeping in their company.

_Naruto._ Even allied with him for now, Sasuke was not sure that they could defeat his brother. The images of the dream had served to make him remember the helplessness he had felt at the hands of Itachi. Perhaps he should allow the transfer to happen now and not take the chance of facing the older Uchiha before then.

But as much as Sasuke wanted to better his chances, a part of him wanted to see if his own ability could compare to that of his brother. Maybe he didn't need Orochimaru after all.

It was that thought that had prevented him from allowing the switch sooner.

He glanced back over at his former best friend.

It had made so much sense to Sasuke when he had discovered that the nine-tailed fox was inside Naruto. It explained just where all his power had come from. And it had thrilled him immensely because he knew he had the power to suppress the beast.

The fox had warned him not to kill Naruto. For a while, Sasuke had thought on that. At first, he assumed that it had something to do with the demon valuing its own life. Everyone knew that if Naruto died, so too, did the Kyuubi.

But when he had mentioned it to Orochimaru, the snake sensei had become visibly agitated, as if Sasuke had unwittingly been clued into some larger plot.

But the Uchiha had been unable to gain any more information on it from his Sound companions.

And now, as he looked at the snoring form of Naruto, Sasuke was filled with unease. He could out do the fox's chakra—of that there was no doubt. But he also knew that inside of his old comrade there was an impressive chakra all its own. He had sensed it, briefly, while he was inside Naruto's mind. He wondered if the other young man knew of his potential yet.

Sasuke glanced at Kakashi. If their ex-sensei was still as lax of a teacher as he used to be, he doubted that Naruto had improved much at all.

_Sakura._ The name popped into his mind. Kakashi had missed her potential too. What was it Naruto had said? She'd been training with Tsunade? Sasuke hadn't expected that. But he should have. Kabuto had explained to him before that medical jutsus required impressive chakra control. And apparently, Sakura's was so rare that she was able to replicate the Hokage's extreme strength. And though Naruto had been known to embellish from time to time as Sasuke remembered, he seemed truthful when he said they expected her to surpass the Fifth.

All that conversation over a simple picture.

He had listened to the blue-eyed youth go on and on, himself remaining silent. And afterward, he had reluctantly handed back the parchment and returned to his companions.

Sakura was strong now. But was she strong enough to withstand what she was up against?

Sasuke lay back down.

He needed to defeat Itachi. The question was—

--could he do it as himself or did he need to go through with his prior bargain?

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After eight hours, Sakura felt her eyes growing heavy.

She rubbed the slowly drying blood from her lip and kept her hawk-like stare on Itachi.

She hadn't even seen him move the first time. And when he had hit her, it was as if he had materialized out of thin air in front of her. She had swung back, of course. It had been almost a pure reaction—but he had vanished just as quickly.

The second time he had done it, she had seen his eyes change slightly just before. Now she was watching for that same tell-tale sign.

_Why was he doing this? _She couldn't understand. _Why not just leave me here and wait for Naruto? Why torment me?_

She had almost hoped that Kisame would come during the night and interrupt this sick game. But he didn't come. No one came. In fact, she hadn't seen any other Akatsuki members since finding herself in this prison.

Itachi watched as her eyes fought to stay open. "Why are you so afraid of me, Sakura-san?"

The abrupt question after so many hours of silence snapped her awake like a cold bucket of water.

"I am not afraid of you."

"Are you lying again?" His eyes took on a dangerous gleam. "I know you are afraid. But that doesn't explain to me why you seem so eager to end my life."

She jingled the chains. "Is this not reason enough?"

"No."

Sakura frowned and looked away. Silence was the obvious way to avoid him. She would revert to that again.

"Your hate is so strong I can almost taste it." He stood and stepped forward.

Sakura stared at the spot where his feet had stopped. He was just over her invisible line. She licked her lips. _Step a little closer._

But Itachi was well aware of what he was doing. He wanted her to attack him. If she insisted on futile battle, then he would be happy to oblige her. There was still something about her that he needed to know.

"I'll ask you this once and after that I'll figure out the answer myself." He let his words sink in. "Why is your hate for me so strong?"

Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but instantly, Itachi was an inch away from her, his finger pressed --in warning-- against her lips. "Think before you answer me, Sakura-san."

The red of his eyes intensified.

This was his way of testing her. And as he had expected, her response was a violent one.

The Uchiha had shifted his body in time, only catching the end of Sakura's power swing. He winced and back handed her, causing her to knock her head against the stone wall.

She slumped to the floor.

Itachi knelt down, lifting her chin with his fingers. Her green eyes were crinkled in pain but they were still open.

Itachi shook his head. "I warned you, Sakura-san. No one can say I didn't warn you."

She didn't have time to close her eyes once she realized what he was doing.

The world around her went red and all she could see was the giant moon hanging ominously in the sky.

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**Author's Note:** If you want to see the picture Sai drew of Sakura…it's the picture of her in manga chapter 286...saying "As for me I don't want your forgiveness." If you aren't sure how to look up this picture…got to youtube(dot)com and do a search on 'Naruto chapter 286" click on one of the options and watch carefully.

**coming soon: Chapter 5: Itachi's Discovery**


	5. Chapter 5

…If I owned Naruto, I wouldn't be writing on fanfiction. A Harsh truth, I know…

**Chapter 5: Itachi's Discovery**

All around her was a red wasteland, encased by a red sky. Only the moon that hung above seemed normal. Her own form was a black silhouette outlined in white. And to her immense anger, she realized that she was naked.

_Mangekyo sharingan._ Sakura shivered. She knew this was a creation of her own mind and the mind of a certain Akatsuki. Her eyes narrowed.

"Itachi." The name was like poison on her lips.

As instantly as she said it, she was surrounded by cloaked figures. The shackles were back on her hands, chaining her loosely to the ground. She did her best to cover herself.

"You bastard," She growled.

Itachi stepped out from amid the faceless figures and waved his hand. Suddenly she couldn't speak any longer.

"This is my world, Sakura-san. Nothing happens here that I don't want. And since this is also a portion of your mind, I have complete access to your memories."

She hugged her arms around herself more tightly.

Itachi smirked. "People are less inclined to be bold when they are naked, wouldn't you say?"

Her green eyes were weary but not defeated. Itachi decided it was time to start working on her mind. He motioned with his right hand and an image of Tsunade appeared.

The blond figure laughed. "So, my amazing apprentice is reduced to this? All those years wasted on your training." She shook her head. "Perhaps I was the foolish one for taking a chance on a girl who had no obvious talent."

Sakura swallowed hard. _No. It's not real. He's just using your own fears and insecurities!_

But as much as she fought it, she knew it was affecting her. Sakura shut her eyes against the taunting image.

"I don't think so," Itachi whispered. Sakura's eyes snapped open against her will.

The vision of Tsunade vanished. Itachi could tell that the effect it had had on Sakura was minimal. He would have to delve deeper into her head if he wanted any information.

Images sprung up all around her.

Itachi seemed to study each one as he ran through them in her mind.

Ino and Sakura as children. He watched the images, amused, but it was not what he was looking for. Next, Naruto and Sakura. Some of the images were more recent and interested him slightly, but it was still not what he wanted. Tsunade had her own little corner in the young womans mind, but it was mostly training and medical jargon that he didnt want to bother with. Kakashi blinked into existence before them briefly, but the memories of him were nothing relevant.

Itachi's gaze narrowed and he looked at Sakura's form. She still clutched her vulnerable nakedness but her head was lowered and sweat ran in droplets off her brow.

_Interesting._ Itachi stepped closer to her. He could tell she was struggling against something. _Perhaps…trying to prevent him from seeing something?_

He sent a stronger surge of power into her head, causing Sakura to cry out in front of him. She couldn't hold back the image he was ripping from her mind. Sakura moaned softly.

And Itachi smiled in triumph.

When he had first questioned the intent behind her hatred, he had never expected something like this. It was almost such a cruel memory in itself that he didn't need to alter it for it to torture her.

Sakura ground her teeth together, hoping that the sound of her own twelve-year old voice would be drowned out. But she could still hear it. She could still hear herself begging Sasuke to stay. She could hear her pitiful voice confessing her feelings for him—as if she had thought he didn't already know. And she could hear his cruel and short replies.

This was the memory that interested Itachi the most. This was what she had been hiding from him. But the image that tied it all together was one of Sakura, older, sitting alone with stack of papers around her. She was studying. She was learning about—him. And she knew he was what had driven Sasuke away.

That was why she hated him. She hated him because her love for his brother demanded it. She was an avenger in her own right. An avenger of Sasukes pain.

Itachi played the scene over and over again. Sometimes he changed it slightly, making Sasuke say things that had never been said. But for the most part, he simply let it replay in its own natural, sad, entirety.

When he finally stopped, only he and Sakura remained in the vast emptiness of the red world. He had expected to hear her sobbing. But he was greeted only by silence.

She sat there in the red dirt, making no more effort to hide herself. Her arms hung limp at her sides and her green eyes stared at the ground. She knew she had just given Itachi another reason to abuse her. Not only could he hurt Naruto, but he could use her feelings for Sasuke as well. She doubted that her memories were any amo against the long lost younger Uchiha, but she knew that Itachi would find a way to manipulate them for his own purposes. Even if it was just to hurt Naruto more.

He had seen from her thoughts that Naruto cared for her deeply.

Itachi watched her in her defeat. Oddly, it was not a sight he relished. He had touched something else when he had pushed into the deeper part of her mind. Something that pushed him back just as forcefully.

Now, he had a new question that needed to be answered, but it required much more time in the mangekyo world than he could manage right now.

He released her from his jutsu.

Back in the cell, Itachi dropped Sakura's chin from his hold. She turned away from him, leaning her head against the stone wall. She couldn't have pushed him away if she tried. The strain of the mental trauma had made her ready to pass out.

Itachi did not back away. He watched her carefully, this pink-haired woman who had fallen in love with his brother. If she noticed his continuing presence, she ignored it.

Finally, he stood and walked out. He was equally weary and would need to regain his strength if he was going to attempt the jutsu on her again.

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"How do we know that is where Sakura is being held?" Naruto looked at Orochimaru in distrust. The former Akatsuki member was their authority on Akatsuki, but it went against Naruto's better judgment to listen to him.

The snake sannin just smiled at his question.

And despite the young man's reservations, Kakashi seemed to take what Orochimaru was saying at surface value.

"Alright," He said, pointing at a poorly drawn map in the dirt. "It won't take us long to get to Earth Country. But we're going to have to assume that there are more Akatsuki there than just Itachi and Kisame."

The shinobi nodded.

They debated on a plan, Kabuto being the only true contributor from the Sound. Both Orochimaru and Sasuke remained quiet. But of the two, only Orochimaru seemed to be paying attention.

After a while, they gathered their things and headed off into the woods.

As they traveled, Kabuto ventured to ask Sasuke how he was doing.

The Uchiha looked at him in annoyance. "Why can't we kill them and go do this ourselves?"

Kabuto looked at him in surprise. He had been worried Sasuke was regressing back into his old feelings. But this irritated outburst proved him wrong.

"Sasuke-kun, we may need their help to get through Akatsuki. And without the Kyuubi, Itachi will not let us get close enough to him to attack."

"Yet, you've known where he was all this time and we are only now going after him."

The statement was accusatory and Kabuto cringed. You know Orochimaru-sama promised it would be the first thing you accomplished once he had secured your body as his next vessel. You are not powerful enough alone.

_He has shown me so many new jutsus._ Sasuke's brow furrowed. _There are things Orochimaru is holding back from me. He doesn't want me to become more powerful than he is._

But as he tried to elaborate on that thought in his mind, he became disoriented and images of Itachi flooded his head.

Once again, his focus was only on revenge.

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It had been at least two days since Itachi had entered her mind. Sakura wasn't sure if it had been longer or not. The only window was not within view of her cell and she had to judge the time of day by the amount of light that was cast in the corridor.

But she was grateful because in those last few days, it had been the strange blue man who had brought her food and checked on her periodically.

Kisame was much less inclined to speak with her. He almost seemed disgusted with the fact that he had to be bothered with taking care of her at all. As far as he was concerned, she should just be forgotten about until the Kyuubi showed up.

Itachi's thoughts were similar—at first.

He enjoyed tormenting the medic. She had a certain determination about her that made her unique from so many other shinobi prisoners he had seen.

And if she had hidden her hatred for him a little better, he might have left her alone. But it had been clear from the moment they fought in the darkness of her home, that she knew who he was and she was more than willing to give up her life if it meant taking his.

For never having met her in person, that seemed like an excessive reaction to him.

So he had made a game of torturing her, thinking normal interrogation tactics would bring it out eventually. He had been wrong, of course. His irritation had forced him to take the easy way out and extract the knowledge himself.

He had found out what he wanted. But he had uncovered something much more interesting.

Whatever was lurking in the dark recesses of her mind had pushed him away as if his power was meaningless. It was something he had never encountered before.

Something that required more studying.

He sat up and pulled on his cloak. Maybe later today he would pay another visit to their guest.

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Earth Country never failed to impress Naruto whenever they traveled through it. A land of cliffs, rocks, and mountains, it was littered with caves and hidden caverns.

It was the perfect place for any hideout.

They stopped briefly for some food and Naruto watched openly as Kabuto pulled rations from his pack. Since the beginning, the Sound ninjas had declined any meal offer from team seven whatsoever. Naruto had thought it was rude at first, but as he watched the weird young man prepare their meals, he had a sneaking suspicion as to why.

When Kabuto saw he was being watched, he immediately blocked Naruto's view by turning his back to him. A moment later, the Kyuubi host watched as he handed a bowl to Sasuke.

His eyebrow rose slightly. Hadnt Sakura-chan mentioned something about possible chakra-altering drugs and forbidden jutsus? He was sure she had been trying to research it back in Konoha.

Before anyone could stop him, he raced over and knocked the bowl from Sasuke's hand.

Everyone stared in shocked silence as the bowl clattered to the ground, spilling its contents everywhere.

Sasuke fixed Naruto with a glare that would have normally stopped the young man in his tracks. But instead, Naruto's blue eyes narrowed angrily and he pointed at Kabuto.

"You! What did you put in that food! How long have you been sneaking Sasuke your stupid drugs?!?"

Kabuto smiled slightly.

It was Sasuke that answered. "You worthless idiot!" He snarled. "Those pills were to help me sleep."

"To help you sleep!?! Are you serious? You don't see anything wrong with just taking whatever pills they choose to feed you? How do you know that that's all you're getting? Who knows what else is in that slop!"

Orochimaru stood up, his expression serious. "Naruto-kun, go back to your own meal."

It was not an order. It was not a request. It was a warning.

Kakashi grabbed Naruto's arm and pulled him away. "Don't be a fool." He whispered. "Even if you're right, you've made your point and there's nothing more that can be done."

The young man's shoulders slumped. "Kakashi-sensei…"

"No, now forget about it."

Naruto cast a glance back over his shoulder.

Sasuke still stood, staring down at his broken bowl. Whatever thoughts were going through the Uchiha's mind, the look on his face indicated that they were dark thoughts indeed.

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**Coming soon: Chapter 6: Akatsuki**

I just wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed so far—especially those of you who followed over from my previous story. Thank you for all your support, it makes the arduous updating schedule worth while.


	6. Chapter 6

...The voices in my head tell me that I don't own Naruto…They are usually pretty correct…

**Chapter 6: Akatsuki**

Sasuke tried to ignore the incessant chatter coming from the direction of Naruto and Sai. To him, it seemed that as their pace slowed, the more the two seemed to talk.

He was beginning to loathe the uneven landscape that forced them to clamber through at a more cautious pace.

He wasn't sure what had been bothering him the most over the last few days. It could have been the fact that he felt like a complete idiot. Naruto's way with words had opened Sasuke's eyes to the fact that he had been more than foolish to assume Kabuto was being honest about the sleeping pills. When had he become so desperate that he unquestioningly accepted artificial help from Orochimaru? He had never trusted the snake sannin. So why had he let himself get into that type of situation?

It made him grind his teeth.

And then there was the fact that the Konoha crew hadn't shut up about Sakura since they entered Earth Country. Her name kept snagging his attention as it was mentioned in fragmented conversation.

Even Kakashi seemed unusually candid about the missing young woman.

Sasuke cast a sideways glance at Sai. Why was he talking about Sakura as if he knew her? He had been with the team for—what—six months? And now he was talking and drawing pictures of her. Sasuke had known Sakura much longer than that _replacement_. Who was he to talk about her at all?

That made Sasuke's jaw clench.

There was something positive he had noticed though. Since Naruto's food tantrum the other day, the Uchiha had been a little more cautious about the food and water he had been accepting. He even went so far as to ask Yamato to allow him some of team seven's rations.

The former ANBU member had looked at him in surprise but then willingly handed over a large portion of food.

The change in the clarity of his thoughts had made Sasuke realize that there was much more going on than he had realized. He wondered if Orochimaru had been drugging him from the beginning. The thought only made him angrier.

Traveling behind the Uchiha, Kabuto and Orochimaru talked quietly.

"Things are unraveling." Orochimaru whispered. "We need to meet with…_him_…and figure out what needs to be done."

"How will we get away long enough?"

The sannin inclined his head and Kabuto followed the direction. Up above them, a small dot soared over the trees.

"A clay bird?"

Orochimaru nodded. "You will meet with _him_ tonight on your watch. Just be cautious of that former experiment of mine." He glanced over at Yamato. "He will most likely be keeping close watch on you."

The medical scientist nodded. Tonight then.

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In her cell, Sakura struggled to free her hands from the metal cuffs. Even though her skin was raw and bleeding, she kept trying to squeeze her hands out of them.

But it was no use. No amount of twisting was going to free her.

She stopped what she was doing and looked up.

"That looks like it hurts, Sakura-san."

Her green-eyed glare was full of venom. She didn't speak to him as she continued to pull forcefully against the manacles.

"Stop." Itachi stepped toward her.

Instantly she turned her back to him, unafraid of any physical violence he might inflict upon her. Nothing could be worse than what he had already done. The pain of it still made her head swim and the images had left her awake and sweating during the night.

Itachi smirked. He could tell that she wanted to be more defiant but wasn't about to risk looking into his eyes.

"Don't make me turn you around myself." He issued the warning quietly.

Sakura went rigid but didn't give in and Itachi watched as her hand clenched into a fist.

"Try it," She whispered.

He wished she could see his smile. Just by forcing her into talking meant that he was winning. But she did pose a problem. If she was anticipating him, it would make it harder to trap her in the mangekyo.

"Sakura…" The edge was back in his voice. "Turn around. I won't use the sharingan."

"No. I have no reason to trust you."

He jingled something softly, knowing from her stance that she knew just what they were.

"Turn around."

Forcing her feet to move, the pink-haired young woman swiveled around, glancing quickly at the keys Itachi held up in his hand. So far she had neglected to heal her wrists due to the fact that they would just blister again under the weight of the chains. But if Itachi would let her have a while without them on

"What is it you want?" She asked.

"Another look, uninhibited, within your mind."

"No. I'll die first."

He wanted to chuckle. She was so determined to be difficult. "It will happen, Sakura-san. And you will be very much alive for it. But I'm offering you the chance to make it easier on yourself. Let me do what I want and I won't bring the element of torture into it. But if you force my hand again," His voice lowered. "There are many more ways I could make it unpleasant for you."

She shuddered, remembering the shame she had felt the first time while under Itachi's control.

"You'll unchain me?"

"For a while…and only after I release you from the jutsu."

"Why?"

His eyes narrowed.

"Why?" She repeated. "Didn't you find out enough? Maybe you should just try asking me questions. It might be easier on both of us."

He nodded. "It's true, I did find out what I wanted to know. However, there is something more I wanted to see and I lacked the chakra to search it out the first time."

_He lacked the chakra?_ Flags went up in Sakura's mind. _So he's weak after using the mangekyo sharingan. And if he releases my bonds for a short while afterward…_ She might just be able to find an opportunity to escape.

But that would mean allowing him to enter her mind unhindered.

Itachi watched her defensive stature relax. Her green eyes met his stare. "Alright. But never again after this."

_I will do as I please as often as I please. _But he bowed slightly and said. "Of course."

Sakura tried not to flinch as he approached her. Itachi stood a few inches from her and tilted her face up so he could see her eyes. He could feel the animal instinct to flee coursing around her. But she stood her ground. With his other hand, he tugged a strand of her hair gently, causing her eyes to go wide with surprise and then outrage. It was fun to try to push her over the edge.

But he had made a bargain. So he dropped his hand and stared down into her eyes.

After a few moments, Sakura found herself in a place she had hoped she'd never be again.

It was hard for her to ignore the feeling of panic that arose when her silhouette acknowledged the fact that it was, once again, under the control of the Uchiha. However, true to his word, Itachi had left her as she was in reality. She still could not move—something she attributed to a precaution on her captor's part.

Itachi was unconcerned with the form of Sakura standing off to the side of him. He was not there to extract information, so she was of little consequence at the moment. He was merely…exploring.

He focused his thoughts and began the process of stripping back the layers of his prisoner's mind.

The images he found were the same as before. The same people, the same village, the same interactions that had been branded into her subconscious. Every so often, a new memory would work its way to the surface, but rarely were these images anything coherent.

When he hit the dark void that had interested him before, he sensed Sakura tense.

But he was unaware of the smile that had formed on her face.

Itachi's eyes went wide.

He found himself staring at a duplicate Sakura. She had her back turned to him. If he could have seen her face, he would have noticed the same smile crossing her lips.

Years ago, someone else had unwittingly discovered what Sakura herself dubbed as 'Inner Sakura'. And that person had been on the losing end of the battle of wills.

Childhood insecurity and years of being picked on had made this other personality within her. 'Inner Sakura' was all determination and nerve. She was forceful and strong and she was never uncertain. She was the true Sakura—what would have developed if circumstances hadn't turned the real person into a shy, introverted little girl.

But harsh years of training under Tsunade had slowly changed 'Inner Sakura' into 'Outer Sakura'—normal, everyday Sakura. The sannin had instilled in the young woman a new sense of self-worth. And little by little, Sakura had felt herself become more of the person she truly was on the inside. This transformation had made 'Inner Sakura' obsolete.

However, she still existed within the medic. She was a defense mechanism. And she was a damn good one.

'Inner Sakura' had developed so strongly over the years, that she was a separate spirit in herself. And she didn't hesitate to manifest herself when insecure Sakura needed her.

Itachi had come into her world and now, he was going to play by her rules.

The sharingan user froze. He knew, instinctively, that the tables had turned. And since he was familiar with the workings of the human mind, he had some grasp of just what he had encountered.

But a separate spirit? Was that even possible?

_Would this be what would be like to enter the mind of a demon-host? Was the Kyuubi's mind similar?_

His reasoning was cut short as Inner Sakura appeared before him. Before he could react, her fist made contact with his stomach and he flew back from the shock.

Stunned, Itachi looked up as she loomed over him. Her hands reached for him—

--and he broke the contact with Sakura's mind.

They fell apart from each other in the cell, both disoriented with a trickle of blood coming from one nostril. Sakura looked at him, her green eyes dazed.

It was all Itachi could do to contain his anger. He staggered to his feet, turning to go, but a plea from Sakura stopped him short.

"W-wait," she struggled to stand. "Our deal…"

He sneered and glared at her menacingly. Holding the keys out, he dropped them on the floor, just beyond her reach.

He left without a word, leaving her to stare in despair at the opportunity for freedom just beyond her grasp.

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Night had fallen hours ago, cloaking the small camp in quiet darkness. On one side, Yamato sat at watch, acutely aware of Kabuto perched nonchalantly in a tree on the opposite end of camp.

What he wasn't aware of, though, was the cloaked figure that spoke softly to the deranged medic from the backside of the same tree.

"Orochimaru and I had a deal." The voice was menacing. "It was agreed upon years and years ago, before he left the organization. If he cannot hold up his end of the bargain, perhaps his usefulness is over."

Kabuto swallowed, but his voice was calm. "Orochimaru-sama simply asks that we look at other options. Sasuke-kun is becoming…difficult to maintain."

"Hn. Did you expect something less from one of Uchiha blood?" The stranger asked. "The deal was to take over the boy so we had control of the second sharingan. It is vital to the final plan that we are able to control him. It is equally important that Naruto die by Sasuke's hand. Do I really need to explain all this to you again?"

"Forgive us, Itachi-sama. Orochimaru simply wanted to let you know things are slightly off schedule."

Itachi scowled behind the rim of his cloak. In one hand, he crushed the clay bird Diedara had made for him. This conversation was only serving to add to his irritation from earlier in the day. Things were not supposed to be going this way.

"Kabuto," He whispered dangerously. "Tell Orochimaru that he has two days. It will take you that long to reach the holding area for the girl anyhow. By the time he enters my realm, I want him in Sasuke's body. There is no compromise where the final plan is concerned. See that you do not disappoint me."

And then he was gone.

Kabuto breathed out a sigh of relief. Something about the oldest Uchiha unnerved him. He was glad that the conversation was over.

But he wasn't thrilled about having to give the details to his master. Things were about to get much more complicated.

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**Coming soon: Chapter 7: Carefully Laid Plans**

Some of you who read my previous story will notice a similar theory being used for the sharingan. This is because I think there is only one logical explanation for it, but the story line should be different enough that the theory behind it won't matter.


	7. Chapter 7

…I don't own Naruto, but someday I'll write an original novel just as good…and then I'll buy Naruto…

**Chapter 7: Carefully Laid Plans**

It had been a long time since Itachi had felt so angry.

He had almost been inclined to kill Kabuto and deal with Orochimaru himself, but that would only have further delayed his plans.

He sighed, looking over the scroll spread out on his desk. So many years spent planning and waiting and now it was all about to end.

Once Orochimaru took over Sasuke's body, the snake sannin would kill Naruto, achieving Sasuke's own form of the mangekyo sharingan. Then Itachi, along with Orochimaru, would use the Kyuubi's blood to open the seal.

Once the seal was broken, he would kill Orochimaru and go on to become the ultimate power in the shinobi world. Orochimaru, of course, did not know that last part of the plan. He foolishly thought that Itachi would spare him and give him partial control.

Just thinking about the plan calmed the Uchiha slightly.

But then there was the girl.

The thought of her brought his anger back ten-fold. She could have killed him with that second spirit of hers if he had been slightly less alert. As it was, he had risked serious damage to both of them by dropping the jutsu the way he had. But if he had remained any longer…

His eyes narrowed. Had she done it intentionally? Tricked him into entering her mind again?

He didn't think she was that devious. Now, he wasn't so sure.

Itachi was normally very in control of his emotions. But now his rage had reached its limit. He left his room quickly and headed down to the prison cells.

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Sakura leaned forward as far as she could go and then stretched out one of her legs to try to reach the keys Itachi had left on the floor.

She just needed a few more inches.

She tried again, straining against the limit of the chains.

_Damn it!_ It was no use. But after what had happened yesterday, she knew that her days were numbered. And as if on cue, footsteps echoed in the hallway.

She could immediately sense the change in the Uchiha. Instead of his normal casual stroll, he walked towards her with obvious intent. She almost flinched at the look in his eyes.

Itachi entered the cell and grabbed her by the throat. "Sakura-san." He growled. "Do you remember what I told you the first day of your captivity?"

She did. '_As long as you're alive, it won't matter what condition you are in'._

He waved his hand and Kisame entered. She hadn't even noticed the shark-like man waiting outside the cell.

"Hold her."

Sakura felt the crushing grip of fear in her chest. But all her struggling was to no avail. There was simply no where to run, with or without the shackles.

Kisame stood behind her, holding her arms cruelly behind her back. Sakura's green eyes stared Itachi down as he approached her. If her mouth hadn't been parched from fear, she would have spit on him.

The Uchiha looked at her coolly. His anger increased as he stared at her tense form. Though slightly impressed by her show of bravery, his mood only continued to darken. The last few days had irritated him beyond measure and he needed to release some frustration.

In the hours after, he would reflect on the events in the cell and think to himself how odd it was that Sakura didn't make the slightest noise—

--as he beat her within an inch of her life.

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"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru walked at the back of the group with the Uchiha. "Today is the day. When we make camp this evening, prepare yourself for the body transfer. The time has come. I cannot wait any longer."

Sasuke glanced at his sensei but did not respond. He was not sure how he felt about their deal any longer. He had never expected Orochimaru to be honest with him. And he certainly didn't expected any shred of honor from the evil man. But just knowing that the sannin had been deliberately tampering with his thoughts and abilities created a sense of betrayal in Sasuke. It was a feeling that seemed to spring up every now and then in his life.

For the rest of that day's journey, Sasuke remained quiet. His eyes strayed to the head of the line where Naruto and Kakashi hurriedly picked their way through the rough landscape. As much as he wanted to hold on to his hatred toward the cheerful blond, Sasuke was slowly beginning to realize that the bonds he had forged in his childhood were stronger than he had thought.

Naruto irritated him endlessly, just as he had before. But there was some kind of magnetism about the young man that almost forced you to like him. Something about how he would just act on a whim, surprising everyone, but making his point better than if he had thought out a plan for days.

Sasuke hadn't wanted to admit it, but more than just killing his brother had caused him to take on this mission.

He had friends, no matter how much he hated that. And they had gone through everything for him. He knew there were deep rivers of hurt that flowed between all of them now. But maybe, if he didn't go through with Orochimaru's plan, he would be able to bridge those waters again.

A memory of Sakura smiling brushed though his mind. It was followed closely by the image of her on Naruto's picture.

He had a lot to make up for.

He was still deep in thought as they made camp. It had been years since he had been able to think this clearly about anything other than revenge. His eyes traveled over to where Kabuto was handing the snake sannin some food, the medic chewing on some of the tough rations as he dug through his pack.

Sasuke knew better than to eat. The body transfer required that the vessel had an empty stomach. The trauma on the new body was great and any food that was inside would undoubtedly come back up afterward.

He was still on the edge of his decision. If he truly decided that he needed Orochimaru, then he wanted everything to go as planned.

Around the camp, the others were already settled in. They were anxious. Everyone knew that tomorrow they would reach the place Sakura was most likely being held. In reality, she could have been in any of a hundred other locations. But according to Orochimaru, the hideout in Earth Country was specifically designed to hold prisoners.

And Itachi wanted Naruto to find him, so he wasn't going to make it too difficult on the Kyuubi host.

Sasuke hadn't realized how long he had been lost in thought until the voice of Kabuto startled him back into the present.

"Sasuke-kun, it is time to preform for the transformation."

He stood, looking over to where his sensei stood, smiling.

Again, his face was a blank mask and he didn't offer a response. He walked over unresisting, but stopped and turned around as an enraged Naruto rushed at him.

The young man was caught by Yamato and Kakashi, the two older members holding him by the arms to prevent him from getting any closer.

"Sasuke! What the hell are you doing! After all this time, you're going to let that stupid bastard win?!?" He struggled against his other team members, ignoring Kakashi's urging to calm down. "Don't be such an idiot! How are we going to save Sakura? She'll be crushed when she realizes that it's not really you! How can you just give everything up like that?"

Sasuke listened to Naruto's rant before interrupting coolly. "Naruto, was I not clear when I told you I was here to kill Itachi and nothing more?"

He calmly looked at his former friend's face. "You want to save Sakura. We will have a better chance if Orochimaru's and my power have merged. Sakura would understand."

"No! No she wouldn't! That's the last thing Sakura wants and you know it! She'd rather die than see you do that to yourself!"

Sasuke sighed inwardly. He needed to kill Itachi. He had spent his life aiming for that goal. If he threw it all away now—what was it all for?

He turned away from the fighting form of Naruto and followed Kabuto and Orochimaru out of sight within the darkness of the forest.

Back in the clearing. Kakashi and Yamato tried to calm the frantic youth. Tears streamed down his face as he fought them. But his strength was fading with the despair he felt.

His comrades didn't let go of him even when he stopped struggling. They knew that there was nothing they could do about the situation. It was Sasuke's choice. Any interference from them might jeopardize the mission to save Sakura.

If Sasuke had made his decision, they would accept it because it would help them with their ultimate goal.

Naruto's defeated gaze stared off in the direction Sasuke had gone. He was silent. And it would be a long time before he would talk to any of them again.

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Sasuke knelt on the ground, eyes fixed on a distant point.

He cringed inwardly as Kabuto drew seals on his bare back and chest. In a short while, it would all be over anyhow.

Once he was finished, the medic took up a relaxed stance behind Orochimaru and the sannin moved to stand in front of Sasuke.

"Now, Sasuke-kun," his voice was disturbingly melodic, "This may be slightly…uncomfortable."

_Just shut up and get it over with!_ Sasuke clenched his jaw. _This is the best way for everyone. Itachi will die. And…and…Sakura will be saved. Naruto will take good enough care of her. She doesn't need her mind on me to mess that up. It will be for the best if she thinks there is no Sasuke left._

But another part of Sasuke rejected that idea violently. _Am I really okay with that? Sakura and Naruto? Would I really be able to accept that?_

He fought with himself. _You won't even think about it once you're Orochimaru. You won't have these thoughts any more._

Or would he? Would there be any part of Sasuke left?

He was distracted from his thoughts as icy hands pressed against the sides of his forehead. A ripple of power surged through him. It felt as if his insides were being ripped apart.

He opened his mouth to scream, but no sound issued forth as another wave of force tore through.

Slowly, as the chakra infused air swirled around him, Sasuke felt more and more like a bystander in his own mind. He could no longer move his body and he stared out of his own eyes as if he were deep in the background.

A new presence invaded him. He could feel the sinister new spirit exploring his mind.

An overwhelming feeling of loss enveloped the Uchiha as his thoughts merged with the sannin's. He knew, now, that Orochimaru had motives all his own—and killing Itachi was not a part of the plan.

But just as Sasuke was about to uncover more of the truth, a blood-curdling scream split the air and he felt like he was being ripped apart again.

However, this time, he was able to fall back. His limbs were under his control once again as he felt Orochimaru's evil soul stripped out of his body.

Dazed, Sasuke stared at the fallen body of his sensei.

His eyes slowly turned up to the stoic face of Kabuto.

The medic held Sasuke's sword. And the blade dripped with dark blood.

_What just happened?_ Sasuke could see a shadowy form hovering over the fallen body. It shrieked again and flew at Kabuto, but before it hit him it faded into nothingness.

The grey-haired man smirked casually as he glanced at Sasuke's look of disbelief. But he offered no explanation as he proceeded to chop up the body before them.

When he was done, he turned to the Uchiha.

"Betrayal is a funny thing, no?"

Sasuke just looked at him.

"You are no longer in danger of losing yourself, Uchiha Sasuke. But we do have much left to accomplish tonight."

"Is he dead?" Sasuke asked quietly, unsure if he was angry or immensely relieved.

Kabuto nodded. "It took me half my lifetime to find a way to do it. But during his last living corpse reincarnation jutsu, I learned that there is one crucial moment when he is neither in his body nor in the new body. If the old body—where he is still rooted—is killed during that split second, then his soul would have no where to go."

Sasuke recalled the shadowy wraith that had swept down in fury at Kabuto.

As if reading his thoughts, the medic nodded. "With no where to go, a soul such as Orochimaru's cannot remain in this world. I doubt he is dead…he has simply been forced to 'pass on'. But he won't bother you any longer."

Sasuke watched as he went about packing up the various items lying around them. "Why, Kabuto?"

"You don't know?" He paused in thought. "I guess the temporary merger wasn't enough to show all Orochimaru-sama's thoughts to you. Very well, I'll explain. Years ago, when Orochimaru was a member of Akatsuki, he met a certain Uchiha—the first intended vessel for the sannin. But Itachi was much too strong and Orochimaru's attempt to over power him was a failure. Itachi didn't kill our former master for the attempt on his life—instead, he made the snake shinobi an offer—"

"—he had a brother, it seemed, and that brother also had the power to obtain the mangekyo sharingan. And according to the old Uchiha records, two sharingan users were needed to release a specific demon from the hold of his prison. As you well know, this demon had a hand in the origins of the Uchiha clan. And it was said that he was imprisoned by his own son when the young man learned that his father wished to take over his more powerful body."

Sasuke nodded. He knew the story.

Kabuto continued. "Itachi made Orochimaru an offer. He would spare his life if he left Akatsuki and found a way to gain control over his brother's sharingan. With you as his new body, Orochimaru was to meet Itachi tomorrow and help him open the gate to the Uchiha demon. He would kill Naruto and obtain your mangekyo sharingan…but also killing the Kyuubi, whose death is also needed to open the seal. Itachi would then offer his own body to the creature and become the most powerful force on the earth." He chuckled softly. "And Orochimaru actually thought that your brother would offer him a piece of the pie. He had high hopes of ruling his own section of this sad world."

"And now he is dead," Sasuke looked at the mangled body. "You just killed Sakura." _Now Itachi will have no reason to keep her alive._

Kabuto shook his head. "You always fail to see the bigger picture, Sasuke-kun." He pointed at the Uchiha. "You and I are the only ones who know what really happened. And if you want to save the girl and defeat your brother, you are going to listen to what I say very carefully."

Sasuke looked at him, obvious distrust in his eyes.

"You will spend the remainder of tonight learning how to be Orochimaru. You will walk like him, talk like him, even think like him to some degree. You won't tell anyone the truth. As far as they are all concerned, Sasuke is gone. Only Orochimaru remains."

The Uchiha's eyes went wide.

"Then you will met your brother and defeat him on his own grounds. Whether you realize it or not, your abilities can stand against him alone. You never really needed Orochimaru."

"Why would you do this for me? After you have betrayed the man you had been loyal to for so many years?"

Kabuto shrugged. "Loyal? Not really. I offered Konoha information about him often and freely. Ask your friends back there. And Orochimaru-sama himself did not trust my loyalty completely. He just couldn't figure out my own plans. And now, it is too late."

"And what are your plans?"

"I just want to be left alone. I want to continue my experiments in peace. And that would be extremely hard to do if a half-demon-half-Itachi creature was roaming the world. When this is over…I will trust that you will let me disappear without question."

He held out his hand. "Do we have a deal?"

Sasuke stared at the outstretched fingers. What choice did he have? It was pretend to be Orochimaru and face his brother or blow the plan and take the chance that Itachi wouldn't take Sakura and flee. If that happened, they might never see her again. He stopped himself. _Was this about Sakura or Itachi?_

That was something he was going to have to decide.

But for now, he knew where the best chances lay.

He grasped Kabuto's hand. "Teach me to be Orochimaru."

The medic smiled. Now the wheels of fate were in full motion.

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**Coming soon: Chapter 8: Deception for Redemption**

For those of you who expected an update yesterday, Sunday tends to be the one day I use my "every-other-day" rule.


	8. Chapter 8

…A wise woman once told me 'You do not own Naruto". That wise woman was me. And I was right…

**Chapter 8: Deception for Redemption**

Naruto had lain awake through the night, the first screams from the forest enough to stop any hope he might have had of sleeping. When Kakashi had offered to keep his wakefulness company, he had shunned his sensei, preferring the comfort of his own thoughts.

As much as they were about Sasuke and what was happening to him, they were equally about Sakura. If it hadn't been so dark, Naruto would have taken her picture out and looked at it for comfort. It was times like these that he missed her the most. When he was at his weakest, Sakura was always there to push him on ahead. She gave him a purpose.

Was she alive? Was she hurt? What tortures had she endured? But the main question that harassed his thoughts was if she would hate him when she learned that he had stood by while Orochimaru took over Sasuke's body.

Naruto wasnt the fool everyone took him to be. He knew that, while Sakura cared for him, she would never love him the way she loved Sasuke. But just the fact that she trusted Naruto to bring Sasuke back had been enough for him. If he could do that for her, maybe it would have been enough for them all.

But he had failed. Sasuke was gone. And as much as that hurt Naruto, he now had to focus on saving his other best friend.

When dawn's pale light began to filter in through the trees, two figures walked back into camp.

Kabuto and Sasuke.

Naruto stared hard at the Uchiha. He looked exhausted but otherwise unchanged. His eyes were cold and calculating—just as they had always been. His walk was slightly different; more fluid and deliberate. But other than that, there seemed to be no other outward signs.

Sasuke returned the stares directed at him from the Konoha shinobi. He found it hardest to meet Kakashi's eye, aware that since his defection his former sensei had been disgusted with him. While Kakashi's look was appraising, it held no hint of suspicion. He believed that he was looking at Orochimaru.

"You may call me Sasuke, if it is easier for you." He said to them, doing his best to imitate Orochimaru's crooning voice. He even smiled creepily, just as Kabuto had shown him. Of everything, this was hardest. He rarely smiled even when he felt like it and to force the expression was nothing short of a miracle.

But to keep his composure he had to continue doing it.

"You're not Sasuke, so I won't call you by his name." Naruto said quietly. The blond shrugged on his pack and walked away from them. No one else said anything. One by one, they also followed the path Naruto had taken.

"Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto said the words deliberately. "We should arrive at the hideout by mid-day, correct?"

Sasuke mentally recalled the map Kabuto had made him memorize of Earth Country. "That is correct, Kabuto." Again, the evil smile.

Up ahead, the others cringed as they listened to Sasuke's voice speak words that were not his own.

It would take a lot of getting used to before they could forget that their former friend and teammate was gone.

Away from the others, Naruto fought against the tears that threatened to fall again. Where his anger would have normally been found there was only loss and sadness.

His mind raced with the memories of his friends. How, after all the hardships and rivalry, he and Sasuke had eventually come to accept one another. It had been a short, happy period of time.

And now that was gone forever.

Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"Orochimaru," He whispered to himself. "When this is over—I'm going to kill you—Sasuke's body or not."

He made a promise and he would keep it. That was his way of the ninja.

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Sakura shifted slightly on the cold floor as she felt the vibration of footsteps within the stone.

She strained to hear them, wondering if they were coming toward her or not, but one of her ear drums was ruptured. The good ear lay pressed against the stone and any noises were horribly muffled. She would have rolled over if she thought it would do her any good. But the broken bones and bruised organs had finally found mild comfort in the position she was in.

After her beating, Itachi had Kisame use his weapon to drain her chakra. It hadn't been enough for him to see her bleed. He didn't want her to be able to heal herself either.

The vibration in the stone intensified and Sakura knew someone had entered her cell.

She forced her one good eye open. What she saw was blurry and encased in red due to the blood that had clotted inside of her eye. The other orb was useless, the socket having swelled and sealed over the badly bruised area.

Despite all her inabilities, she knew who it was. His presence had been stamped on her memory. She would know him even if her eyes were closed.

Itachi stared down at Sakura. Today his emotions were once again concealed and in control. And the man who looked at her today slightly regretted what he had done to her.

It wasn't regret for harming her. It was regret that he had lost control and almost killed her. If she had died in the night his bargaining edge would have been gone. If he had been slightly more in control, he would have left her with enough chakra to heal her more serious wounds.

But hind sight was twenty-twenty

For the rest—he did not feel bad. She was brave and strong. They were qualities he admired and so he had tested them.

He had not been disappointed.

"Sakura-san, it is time." He knelt down next to her.

Her bloody eye stared up at him. He knew she couldn't talk.

They had removed the chains and shackles yesterday, knowing that she was not in any condition to move let alone escape. Her wrists were still raw and blistered from the bonds.

Itachi gently picked her up and did his best not to hurt her unduly. He had no reason to cause her more pain now. She was serving her purposethe Kyuubi was only a short distance away. And when all was said and done, even if she survived, she would wish she had died.

No, there was no reason to cause her any more pain.

Up the stairs they went until Sakura could tell by the change in the air that she was outside. The sun was out and regardless of her injuries; she reveled in the tender warmth.

Itachi passed her small form to Kisame. He looked at the blue man in warning and Kisame knew better than to do anything other than hold her loosely. He covered her with the folds of his cloak so she was not visible.

Then the two Akatsuki waited patiently.

Their guests would arrive soon.

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Naruto was the first one to take up his position in the brush around the Akatsuki lair. He stared into the clearing, surprised to see Itachi and Kisame standing out in plain sight.

_Did they…did they know we were coming?_

Around him, the rest of the group had spread out as well. He caught Sai's glance and the two young men looked at each other uncertainly. Something was not right. It was as if the Akatsuki had been waiting for them to arrive.

Kakashi appeared beside Naruto. "Something's up." He whispered. "But I can't tell if they know we're here or not."

As if in answer, Itachi's voice rang out from where he was standing. "Uzumaki Naruto! Come out and bring your friends with you."

Kakashi put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Remember, don't look into his eyes."

"Perhaps we should try talking to him first," Kabuto spoke up. "What harm could it do?"

"Talk is worthless," Sasuke snarled, but quickly recovered at Kabuto's harsh glare. No one else had heard the un-Orochimaru-like speech.

"Come out!" Itachi called again. "Don't forget I have something you want. It would be a shame if something happened to her because you hastily attacked."

His words had the desired effect.

Once they had all entered the clearing, Itachi feigned surprise at the sight of his brother. It had been an initial surprise when he had been contacted all those days ago by Kabuto saying they had joined with the Fire Country ninjas. He had planned on having Orochimaru with him at the final confrontation anyhow. Naruto had unwittingly been traveling with one of the men responsible for Sakura's abduction. The only aspect of the plan it complicated was the take-over of Sasuke's body.

But even that seemed to have gone as planned since the old form of Orochimaru was not present.

"Well," his voice was cold. "I must admit I did not expect you to bring my little brother all this way with you. It will make things harder, but not hard enough."

Sasuke bristled at the words but smiled an eerie smile. "Sasuke-kun is happy to be here."

Naruto's blue eyes flicked over to him momentarily. _At least Sasuke will be able to have his revenge—even if he isn't really the one to achieve it._

If Itachi noticed the third-person reference, he seemed to ignore it.

"Where's Sakura-chan!?!" Naruto stepped forward in warning. "She'd better be alright—"

Itachi's smirk sent chills down everyone's spine. The Uchiha motioned to Kisame.

The blue man pulled back the fabric covering his arms to reveal a badly abused body cradled within. Pink hair and tattered clothing were the only recognizable traits. He straightened his arms and let her drop from them to the ground.

A painful whimper echoed in the otherwise quiet clearing.

Instantly, the air was alive with restrained fury. It was all Sai, Kakashi and Yamato could do to hold Naruto down. It was all they could do to control their own anger.

And off to the side, Kabuto was the only one who knew something inside Sasuke had been breeched. He placed a firm hand on the young man's arm as Sasuke's eyes filled with murderous rage.

"Sasuke-kun!" The medic whispered. "Remember! You're Orochimaru now. You need to keep that going until the time is right! Don't reveal yourself yet."

Inside, Sasuke was livid. He had seen Sakura hurt before. He had even seen her badly injured before. And once, when her injuries were minor compared to these, he had gone off in a rage and almost killed the shinobi who had done it to her. After, he had attributed it to the cursed seal. Now he had no such thing to fall back on. The mark had faded when Orochimaru was killed.

Now he knew it was his honest reaction.

_Just a little longer._ He stared at her fallen form._ Just a little longer and then you can go back to being Sasuke._

But Itachi's next words chilled him—because he knew Sakura was still alive and could hear them as well.

"Now, perhaps we should drop this little charade." His sharingan eyes watched them all. "Orochimaru, I am pleased to see that you maintained your end of the deal. I wonder, how hard was it to take over my brother's body?"

Sasuke forced himself to smile. "He went quite willingly…Itachi-sama." He even bowed to keep the lie alive.

But Sasuke would rather have died than see what Sakura did next.

She struggled to push herself up on obviously broken bones. Bloody tears came from her one open eye and she struggled to say something, all the while looking in his direction.

And even though it killed him to do it, he gave her one of the snake sannin's evil smiles.

"How sad," Itachi watched her as well. "Just another example of how emotions make people weak."

He pushed the pink-haired young woman back down with his foot.

Red chakra pulsed around Naruto, warning his teammates that he was on the edge. The Kyuubi youth snarled in rage. "You're wrong! A shinobi needs more than just blind obedience! Look! Sakura is fighting even now because she knows the truth of that!"

He glared at Sasuke. _I should have known better than to trust Orochimaru! He was in league with Itachi all along. I'll kill him! I'll kill him!_

"It doesn't matter." Itachi replied. "Don't you get it, idiot? You've lost. You now have to defeat me _and_ the new Orochimaru. And for you—that is impossible."

He smiled as Sasuke and Kabuto took up positions next to him. "Orochimaru," He inclined his head toward the group of Leaf shinobi. "Perhaps you'd like to close the deal now."

Sasuke turned to his brother, something in his eyes puzzling the older Uchiha.

"You have no idea," He said softly.

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**Coming soon: Chapter 9: Battle Royale**

Author's Note: This story is almost done. Yes, it is much shorter than my previous fanfic, but that is because I didn't choose to tie in all the loose ends in the Naruto World. (Like the other tailed beasts) If you want a story of those epic proportions, then my other story is for you. This one will only consist of two or three more chapters. And to make those the best they can be—I may take a little extra time in updating them.


	9. Chapter 9

…For those of you who have started reading at chapter nine (which is a strange place to start) I do Not own Naruto…

**Author's Note**: I had my fingers crossed that the manga chapter released Thursday would show me Naruto's new jutsu—but of course it didn't. I have a feeling the current manga fight scene is going to drag on into January, so it may be a while before we see Naruto in action. So…I had no choice other than to let my imagination take the reins.

**Chapter 9: Battle Royale**

All of Sakura's physical pain took a backseat to what she was feeling now. _Sasuke._ She had failed him. And she had foolishly thought upon seeing him that the youngest Uchiha had come to help save her. Now she knew that he—Orochimaru—had come only to help Itachi.

She had never meant anything to him. It was a truth she had told herself before, years and years ago. But a part of her thought that maybe, just maybe, there was more to Sasuke than he had let on.

But she had been wrong.

Sasuke had chosen revenge, in the end. And now he was gone.

This new pain was far more overwhelming than anything Itachi had done to her. But as much as it made her want to give up—it made her want to fight just that little bit harder. She couldn't fight for Sasuke any longer, but she did have four other friends that had come all this way just for her.

She wasn't going to let them down.

And she wasn't going to let Orochimaru get away with what he had done. She wouldn't let Sasuke's revenge be forgotten.

Using what little chakra she had regenerating within, she began to discreetly heal herself.

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Sasuke looked away from Itachi, aware that if he looked at his brother any longer he would lose all his control. Instead, he stepped toward where team seven struggled to hold a partially transformed Naruto in place.

Sai stepped in his way. "I won't let you harm him."

Sasuke growled inwardly. While he was close enough to Naruto to do what he wanted, he had hoped that no one was going to challenge him until after he had revealed his plan.

"Step away." He said calmly. "This doesn't concern you." He looked pointedly at Sai, hoping that the other young man would get the idea. But Sai was too unfamiliar with Sasuke to know what he was implying.

The former ROOT member shook his head. "I will be the one to kill you, Orochimaru."

And though Sasuke regretted having to do it—in a lightning fast movement he stepped in toward Sai, grabbing him by the arm and hurled him across the clearing toward the line of trees.

_It's now or never_. He thought.

Staring hard at Naruto, Sasuke entered the enraged young man's mind. Once again, he stood before the giant gates holding the Kyuubi back. Only this time a small, red line of chakra seeped through the bars and swirled around Naruto.

For a moment, the two former friends stared at each other.

"Orochimaru." Naruto's voice held heavy distain. "You're mistaken if you think you can beat me just by entering my mind. Even if it kills me, you won't be leaving here."

"Shut up for once, Naruto." Sasuke scowled. "We don't have much time, so just shut up and listen."

The blond's eyes went wide.

"Orochimaru is dead. It's all been a ploy to get me closer to Itachi."

"What? You really expect me to believe that? After all that's happened? If you're really Sasuke, why couldn't you have told us sooner?"

"It was important that no one knew. Itachi would have been able to see through the deception if any one else had to pretend. And if he had entered one of your minds—he would have known the truth instantly."

"You're just trying to get my guard down."

"Damn it, Naruto!" Sasuke slammed his hand on the mental gate, causing the Kyuubi to cringe. "I don't have time to convince you! I'm only here to stop you from taking what's rightfully mine."

That was the moment that Naruto realized the man before him really was Sasuke.

He shook his head. "It's still about you, isn't it Sasuke? It's only you and Itachi and no one else matters."

The Uchiha was silent.

"Well don't worry. I couldn't care less about your brother. But if your revenge puts Sakura in harms way, I will kill _whoever_ I have to in order to save her."

The hidden meaning of Naruto's words was not lost on Sasuke. He reached through the gates, laying a hand on the demon fox. "Fine. But just to be safe—"

The fox vanished, suppressed again by the Uchiha power.

"—I can't risk you becoming…uncontrollable."

There was a long, oppressive silence as they watched one another. And then Naruto's expression softened slightly.

"Sasuke…" Naruto stared at him, his face unreadable. "…I'm glad you're okay."

It was an honest omission and it struck Sasuke more forcefully than he thought possible. He didn't know what to say. There were so many things he thought he _should_ say but just couldn't find the words for. He wanted to tell Naruto he was wrong—that Sasuke was there for Sakura just as much as his brother. But that thought in itself was something he had not come to terms with yet.

So, instead, he looked at the waiting young man and replied, "Thank you, Naruto, for loving her. But it's time to end this."

And then he was gone, leaving Naruto in the calm of his own mind.

Within Naruto's head, the interaction had taken minutes. And for everyone else, outside in the real world, it had taken less than a second. For all they knew Orochimaru had just stepped up next to Naruto and tossed Sai across the clearing. The only change was that instantly, it seemed that Naruto's fox chakra had disappeared.

A few feet away, Itachi studied what had just happened. He was an expert of the mind and he knew a plan was in the works. There was something about the feel of the air and the look in their eyes. Something was up—but after all, Itachi had expected as much from Orochimaru.

He knew he would have to kill the sannin eventually. But he still had to wait until the demon was released. He needed the other sharingan for the moment. There should have been no attachment between the snake shinobi and the Kyuubi boy and it was puzzling Itachi as to why Orochimaru hadn't attacked yet. Even if he was going to betray the oldest Uchiha, it should have made little difference if the others lived or died.

Something was definitely not right.

From where Sasuke stood by Naruto, it only took him the briefest of moments to flash back over to his brother.

He swung down with his sword—ignoring Kabuto's yell of "not yet!".

Itachi moved equally as fast, aware that Sasuke's blade could not be blocked by any other means than moving out of the way.

His red eyes narrowed. "So, Orochimaru, you thought to betray me? You think that in your new body you will be able to defeat me?"

Sasuke stared silently at Itachi.

"You're a fool!"

Off to the side, Kabuto shook his head. _That idiot! He should have waited until Itachi was ready to do the summoning!_ The medic shook his head. If Sasuke had really wanted revenge, he would have killed Naruto, obtained the mangekyo sharingan, and kept Itachi thinking that he was still on his side. Once they began the demon release—then would have been the time to attack. The Kyuubi's death would have been a small price to pay for Itachi's defeat.

Now, it was anyone's guess as to how this would end.

_What was Sasuke thinking?_

There was a brief moment of confusion as team seven watched the standoff between the two Uchiha. Only Naruto knew what was happening. He was the only one that knew Sasuke was still Sasuke.

The young man looked at where Sakura lay. "We'll worry about them later." He motioned to Kisame. "Let's take care of this one first."

Kakashi nodded; his own sharingan visible. He had encountered Kisame before, but without water around, he would not be able to replicate any of the shark-man's jutsus. Unlike most water-element users, Kisame did not need to have a source of the liquid near by. It was his unique trait—and it was something Kakashi could not copy.

He and Naruto were the only ones who had an advantage over their adversary. Yamato's earth-based jutsu had a natural weakness to water and Sai's painting jutsu was similar.

The copy-nin turned to the newly-recovered Sai. "Take Yamato and get Sakura out of the way. It'll be up to you to protect her. For some reason I don't think Itachi is ready to give her up this soon, so watch yourselves."

Sai nodded. He hadn't been there to protect his friend in the beginning, but he was there now. And no one was going to touch her again.

As Kakashi and Naruto moved in toward Kisame, Sai looked at Yamato. The ANBU member nodded.

Sasuke noted the separation of team seven's forces. _Good thinking, Naruto._ He knew what they were planning and he also knew that it would be up to him to distract Itachi enough to allow Sai and Yamato their opportunity.

He flipped back and away from his brother, but upon landing, he shot his arm out and sent a tangle of snakes flying through the air toward Itachi.

The force of their impact threw up a cloud of dust, preventing Sasuke from seeing whether or not he had actually hit his brother.

_Of course you didn't._ He knew such obvious attacks wouldn't ensnare the other Uchiha. He was going to have to stay one step a head if he had any hope of winning.

Sasuke immediately withdrew the snakes, leap up, and rolled forward away from the figure of Itachi that had materialized behind him. The slash of the kunai barely missed him.

As soon as his feet hit the ground he rushed back toward his opponent, sword drawn and flooded with chidori. But steps before reaching the waiting figure of his brother, Sasuke stopped and flung the blade backward, impaling the other form that was hiding behind him.

He was slightly surprised, however, when the sword-impaled body vanished in a cloud of smoke.

_Shit! A shadow clone!_ He had thought that perhaps it would have been the true body of Itachi.

_No! You're still not thinking far enough ahead!_

A forceful kick to his back sent him sprawling forward, sliding through the grass and rock of the clearing. He stood up quickly, glaring at his smiling sibling. But Sasuke was calm. He knew that they were on the same playing level. Itachi would not—could not—use the mangekyo sharingan. Sasuke's own sharingan was mature enough now to ward off Itachi's genjutsu. And if his brother did use the mangekyo he would be leaving himself open to the other enemies around him, not to mention that he needed to use it for the demon release. Since Itachi thought he was dealing with Orochimaru, he probably was holding out hope that there was still a chance to open the demon gate.

Sasuke couldn't wait to see his brother's expression the moment he realized there was no possibility of that happening any more.

A yell from Kisame interrupted both Uchiha's thoughts.

"Itachi! The girl! They've got the girl!"

Itachi whirled around, his eyes narrowing as he saw Yamato and Sai making their way toward the woods with Sakura.

Sasuke followed his gaze, a new type of fear finding hold in his heart as he saw his brother look at the damaged form of his pink-haired teammate.

Itachi glanced briefly at Sasuke—before he vanished and reappeared next to Yamato and Sai.

The two shinobi looked up in shock but had little time to react as Itachi took both of them out with well aimed blows. While they were struggling to recover, he made a small motion with his finger. Before either realized it, they were each trapped in their own personal genjutsu hell.

Itachi stared down at Sakura. He could tell with his sharingan that she was trying to heal herself slowly. He knelt down, fingers extended. But before he could touch her slightly-healed face he was thrown backward, his body painfully stunned by the blast of chidori current.

Itachi looked up. His expression darkened as he saw Sasuke standing over Sakura.

This was not Orochimaru. The snake sannin would never have jumped between Itachi and another. Especially if the other person meant nothing to Orochimaru whatsoever. The realization sent shudders of rage through him, quickly nullifying the pain he had just felt.

And if it was not Orochimaru…there was only one other person it could be.

"Sasuke."

The younger Uchiha's face was blank but he nodded slightly.

Itachi stood and dusted himself off. He pushed away the stray hairs that fell over his eyes. "I thought I told you only to face me when your eyes were like mine."

"I have spent all my life defying you. Why would I stop now?"

"A good question." Itachi's eyes flicked toward Sakura. "Why _would_ you stop now? What would make my little brother throw away his chance at revenge?"

Sasuke remained impassive.

Itachi continued. "I am impressed. I truly thought you were Orochimaru. And you could have easily kept me believing that by killing that worthless blond brat. So why didn't you? Why did you choose the hard way again?"

"I will surpass you in my own way."

"You're a fool, Sasuke. Your emotions got in the way again and you're an even bigger fool if you don't realize it."

As much as he didn't want to admit it, Sasuke knew Itachi had a point. Before, he would have sacrificed anything to kill his brother. But when it came right down to it, he had blown his cover and instead taken the difficult—if not impossible—road.

But at least his friends wouldn't think he had betrayed them

And if he had killed Naruto, Sakura would never have forgiven him.

After all the years he had spent running from them, his feelings had caught up to him in the end.

"I will kill you, Itachi." Sasuke whispered quietly. "And you'll have to kill me before I'll let you near my friends again."

Itachi smirked. There was more than one way to get to his little brother. And now he knew just how to do it.

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Sakura's body had instantly tensed as she felt the presence of Itachi near her again. She didn't hear him—in fact, couldn't hear anything at the moment—but she had known he was there. The concentration required to heal her severe wounds caused her to block out most of the noises around her.

But the feel of cold hands on her bare arms shocked her momentarily from her deep meditation.

Sakura looked up, her eyes green and clear. Her freshly healed gaze was greeted by the face of Kabuto.

"Sakura-chan," He bowed, smiling at her. "A shame we never seem to meet when you are healthy."

"What do you want, Kabuto?"

He glanced out at the clearing. Yamato and Sai still lay on the ground, trapped in their illusions. Kakashi and Naruto were a ways off battling the distant form of Kisame. And though Itachi and Sasuke were still near by, neither Uchiha had noticed that Kabuto had slid Sakura behind the cover of the nearby line of trees.

"I am leaving, Sakura-chan." He rubbed his hand briskly together. "But I thought I might heal you before I go."

"Why?" She looked at him, untrusting. "Why would you heal me?"

"I simply want to tip the odds."

Sakura looked out in the clearing. _Is…is Orochimaru actually fighting Itachi?_

"What happened? Orochimaru betrayed Itachi?"

Kabuto looked up, surprised. She didn't know? _How amusing._ He wasn't about to tell her either. As much as he wanted things to go his way, this might make the ending more interesting.

So he smiled and gently placed his hands on her abdomen. "Yes. Orochimaru-sama had always intended to kill the oldest Uchiha. At least Sasuke-kun's sacrifice wasn't in vain, no?"

Sakura was silent. She could feel her bones mending and her bruised organs regaining proper blood flow. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel. It was good that revenge was at hand, but she still couldn't help but feel hatred toward the man who had taken Sasuke from them.

When he was done, Kabuto sat back. "You'll still be weak for a while yet. Don't try to move. Let your body recover."

"Thank you."

He nodded slightly. "Perhaps we will see each other again, Sakura-chan."

She glanced at his eerie smile. "Let's hope not."

He chuckled softly, shrugging on his pack, crawling away from her through the thick underbrush.

Sakura was left alone.

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"You know I showed her Tsukuyomi."

Sasuke tried to conceal his anger at the mention of his brother's mangekyo world. He had been there himself, and he knew what could be done to a person trapped there.

"I showed her more than once."

They had backed away from each other; a mutual momentary rest.

Itachi took the opportunity to break Sasuke down further. "She fought me at first. I was impressed." He watched for his little brother's reaction. "And even though she was cold and naked; lying in the red dirt, she still fought me."

It was barely noticeable, but Sasuke's jaw clenched.

_Victory._ Itachi kept his face as blank. "Eventually, though, I won. And I found something she had tried desperately to keep away from me. I don't think I need to remind you what happened the night you left for Sound."

Sasuke's eyes dimmed with memory.

"Yes, I know you remember. You were so cruel to her. It was almost like you were doing it on purpose—like you enjoyed making her feel so awful. I broke her with that memory, of course. I didn't even have to change it at all. So… in reality…_you're_ the one who broke her."

"I won't listen to your lies any more. I'm through with your manipulations!" Sasuke shook with anger. "Shut up!"

"Manipulations?" Itachi nodded. "You're right. I have pushed you to where I wanted you to go. But what use are manipulations to me now? Only one of us will walk away from this. I just felt that…_I owed it to Sakura-chan_ to point out how you hurt her far worse than anything I have done to her."

The words cut through Sasuke like knives. Not just the words, but the familiarity with which Itachi spoke Sakura's name. Even if he made it through this, would she ever be able to look at him again without remembering what his brother had done to her?

Was that what he wanted? Did he really want to be back with his old friends?

For the first time in a long time, the decision was clear.

There was no where else he wanted to be.

"Let's finish this, brother." He straightened his stance. "No more games."

Itachi smiled behind the rim of his cloak.

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"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto yelled out in warning as he flew toward the blue man.

Kakashi instantly dove out of the way, aware that Naruto's wind jutsus were large and would easily take him out as well if he got in their path.

The blond barreled toward Kisame, four clones in his wake. Each clone held a spiraling ball of compressed wind energy.

Since perfecting the ransengan technique, Naruto had gained the ability to control many more of the smaller wind-element entities.

Now he and his clones leapt around Kisame.

The blue man swung samehada in a wide arc, using the cruel sword to shave through some of the clones.

The Naruto replicas launched themselves into the air around him, any one trying to find an opening to hit the Akatsuki member with a ball of energy.

There was no way Kisame could avoid them all, so he pressed his hands together and preformed his seals. Instantly, a huge wall of water rose up on all sides of him, trapping the clones and the real Naruto in an impenetrable cage of water.

But Naruto was not so easily defeated.

He combined the power of the ransengan in his own hand with that of the ransengan in the hand of the clone nearest to him.

The force of the married power was too strong for the wind-susceptible water cage—causing the build-up of pressure to blow outward.

The force of it sent Kisame reeling backward into the proximity of a waiting Kakashi.

The copy-nin dodged the blow from samehada as Kisame regained his feet. He stepped backward, blue lightening held in the palm of his hand.

Kisame wasn't fooled. He knew what stood in front of him was a clone of Kakashi and that the actual famed ninja was coming up behind him. Waiting patiently, he kept his back turned.

When he sensed Kakashi behind him, he dropped low and brought his weapon around the top of his head.

The blow landed exactly where he wanted—

--but what happened next was not what he had anticipated.

Instead of the real Kakashi, a puff of smoke verified that the presence behind him had been a clone.

And as he turned back around, he was faced not with a clone of Kakashi—or the real Kakashi—but with Naruto, who had transformed himself in his sensei temporarily.

It was too late when Kisame saw the ball of air in Naruto's hand begin to grow. Soon, he was unable to move. The gale-force wind spread out from the Kyuubi youth and assailed the shark-man from all directions. The equal force of wind around him held him securely in place.

As the force of wind spread outward, it cut away the earth around Naruto, carving a massive crater in the land and obliterating anything that stood in its path. Trees, rocks, grass—everything was ripped apart by Naruto's power.

And that everything included Kisame.

Kakashi had seen the final result of Naruto's new jutsu once. It had marked the land with a giant hole, much like the one that the young man stood in now.

The copy-nin hadn't realized just how deadly it was.

From the upper rim, he stared down at the exhausted blond. He wasn't even sure what to say. If there had been anything left of Kisame to comment on, Kakashi might have mentioned proper disposal of the body. But there was nothing. Even the malevolent samehada was splintered into tiny shards.

Naruto looked up at Kakashi and grinned.

The other man shook his head. "Come on, Naruto. Sakura isn't safe yet."

The smile instantly vanished, replaced by a determined nod.

Naruto clambered out of the hole, wondering how Sasuke's battle was going.

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**Coming soon: Chapter 10: The Final Showdown -Sasuke vs. Itachi**

Sorry Guys! I wanted to do it all in one chapter, but it was just going to be way too long. Thanks for being patient!


	10. Chapter 10

…Much to my regret I do Not own Naruto…

**Chapter 10: The Final Showdown-Sasuke vs. Itachi**

Sasuke braced himself as he slid back, the force of his own punch propelling him away from Itachi.

The oldest Uchiha's face was expressionless. He had known Sasuke's powers had developed strongly over the past three years. Orochimaru had kept him updated on his little brother but the sannin had obviously downplayed his achievements.

Not only was Sasuke keeping up with Itachi—he was forcing the sharingan master to plan ahead. It was something he was unaccustomed to. While every fight demanded strategic planning and anticipation, Sasuke was bringing Itachi to a whole new level of awareness. It was exhilarating.

Now that he couldn't release the Uchiha demon, this was all he had left. This last and ultimate battle with his own brother.

He side-stepped as Sasuke appeared at his side. The younger man kicked out, attempting to catch Itachi in the chest or abdomen.

But Itachi was prepared for it. It was slightly harder to visualize the moves coming his way. His sharingan saw Sasuke's moves just as Sasuke saw his. But in the end, they almost balanced each other, making it appear as if it were a normal battle simply sped up. By anticipating each others moves, they may as well have been fighting without the sharingan. Either way, they were on equal ground.

The brothers clashed again.

They punched and blocked; kicked and dodged. When one swung low, the other jumped over his leg and followed with a fresh attack.

The minutes passed by in a blur as the two Uchiha battled with everything they had.

Again, they broke apart, struggling to gain their breath as they stared each other down.

"You're doing well." Itachi said softly. "You are no longer my weak brother after all."

"You are no brother of mine." Sasuke growled.

"You're wrong, Sasuke. I am your brother and I have always been your brother. What has happened between us does not change that. Now, what you should be asking yourself, is—are you going to become me by killing your own brother? Will you become a killer of your own kin too?"

Sasuke's gaze did not leave Itachi as the words sank in. Part of him knew that his brother was trying to break his will again. But another part of him couldn't deny the truth of those words. He was an avenger—of that, there was no doubt.

But was he no better than Itachi?

The oldest Uchiha saw the struggle within Sasuke's eyes. He would have smiled if the expression wouldn't have ruined the vision he was trying to create. It was here where the truth was most apparent. Emotions didn't make a shinobi weak—they made a shinobi susceptible. _Every_ emotion had a benefit in the fighting world as well as a detriment. Hate fueled some but caused recklessness. Love could temper bravery but it could be easily turned against its owner. That was the real danger in emotion. That was why a true ninja should be void of it. Because, while it gave certain strengths, it also gave definite weaknesses.

Itachi could see the emotions conflicting in his brother's eyes. And if he could break Sasuke's rage toward him—then the fierce thirst for revenge that had driven the young man would also be gone. Without a cause, Sasuke would easily fall.

And the memories threatened to drown Sasuke.

Memories of a kinder, more caring older brother. When everyone else had ignored him, Itachi had always seen to it, in some small way, to make Sasuke feel important. And even though his brother had claimed it was all just an act, Sasuke had a hard time believing it. If he had thought Itachi truly felt no brotherly love for him, it would have made killing him the easiest thing in the world.

But it wasn't that simple.

Itachi straightened and his breathing calmed once again. "Goodbye, Sasuke."

Itachi brought his hands up. His eyes closed briefly while he summoned the chakra he needed. He was vaguely aware of Sasuke rushing toward him—but it was too late. Suddenly, ring of black fire appeared around the youngest Uchiha, the heat of the flames causing him to fall backward into the center of the circle.

"Amateratsu." Itachi watched his brother struggle to shield himself against the heat. "A flame hotter than the sun. And a convenient prison for you for the moment. Eventually, the heat of it will kill you—if you are wise enough to avoid the flames themselves. But you should be conscious long enough to see me take care of your friends."

Sasuke's eyes squinted against the heat as he looked over to where Sakura lay…

…only…she wasn't there anymore…

It was a fact that Itachi had noted as well. He briefly glanced at Sai and Yamato. _Too easy._ _Where has that girl gone to?_ Again, she surprised him. He was almost inclined to let her live if he found her. With Kisame presumably dead, it would be interesting to have another worthy companion around.

The thought was dismissed as quickly as it had appeared. A captive companion was more trouble than he cared to take on. And once Sasuke was dead by his hand, Sakura would most likely be more interested in killing him.

At the exact moment that thought crossed his mind, a massive tree suddenly dropped toward him. He managed to jump out of the way as it crashed to the ground.

But even as he leapt back, he sensed danger coming from behind him as well.

Itachi dropped to the ground and rolled away—

--as Sakura aimed a power-punch at his chest.

He regained his feet and met the furious green gaze staring back at him.

Her hand was still raised in warning and he had no doubt that with that one punch she had intended to rip out his heart.

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The scene that greeted Naruto and Kakashi was confusing at best.

Sasuke knelt amid a circle of dancing black flames. Nearby, closer to the forest edge, Itachi stood across from a healed Sakura. Off to the side the bodies of Yamato and Sai lay quietly.

_Oh shit!_ Naruto raced toward them. _Are they dead?_

But Yamato and Sai were far from dead, although when Kakashi released them from the jutsu, they more than likely wished that they were.

Both men were so incoherent and distraught that they barely recognized either Kakahi or Naruto. And Yamato almost did them physical harm before he realized that he was no longer trapped in the genjutsu.

Kakashi glanced at Naruto. "These guys are in no condition to fight and I've summoned chidori as much as I dare today. Let's get them to some cover."

"Sakura-chan needs us!" Naruto's blue eyes stared intensely across the clearing where the medic stood. "And Sasuke! We've got to help Sasuke!"

"Sasuke? Don't forget Naruto that Sasuke is gone…"

"No! No you don't understand! That's not Orochimaru! It was all just a lie! I know—Sasuke told me when he suppressed the Kyuubi!"

"What?" Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck. "And you didn't think of telling me this sooner?"

"Look, it doesn't matter now! We've got to help both of them!"

Kakashi nodded. "Alright. Let's get these guys behind the tree line first."

They helped their teammates hobble to safety.

But as the copy nin and the aspiring Hokage rushed to the aid of their other companions, Itachi stopped them in their tracks.

He had been anticipating them and since he no longer had to conserve his mangekyo power, another wall of intense flame rose up and blocked them from getting any closer.

Out in the clearing, the flames remained just that—flames. But once summoned so close to the tree-line, the heat off of them began to singe and eventually burn the vegetation.

Before Naruto and Kakashi realized it, a good portion of the forest was ablaze.

"Naruto!" Kakashi yelled over the roar. "Come on! We've got to get the others to higher ground! If we can find a source of water, I know some jutsus that will help put out this blaze!"

Naruto didn't reply right away, staring at the figures on the opposite side of the black flame. "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan." _I can't help you right now._

It took Kakashi's firm hold to finally pull Naruto away.

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Itachi stared at the pink-haired woman before him.

He was becoming increasingly irritated. Not only had his plans for power been blown out of the water, but now any solace he might have found in his enemies' deaths was annoyingly being put on hold.

But the Uchiha could tell by Sakura's wide stance that she was far from completely healed. It was taking almost all of her energy to remain standing.

Sasuke also noticed her wobbly form.

"Sakura!" He yelled from within the circle of fire. "Sakura! Find a way to put out the flames! I need to get past the flames!"

But the look she shot him was enough to make him stagger back a foot.

"Orochimaru, that slow death is kinder than you deserve. I will not free you. You betrayed Sasuke and then betrayed Itachi. Why should I think you won't betray me? No, no, I will see to Sasuke's revenge—and that includes your death as well."

Both Uchihas' eyes went wide. Neither one had realized she didn't know the truth of the matter.

And Itachi instantly seized on the opportunity.

He sneered. "You know, Sakura-san, Orochimaru asked Sasuke if there was any reason for him not to go through with the body transfer. And do you know what my brother said? He told him no—that all annoyances had been left behind him; that _I _was the only thing of importance to him."

Sakura's gaze wavered slightly.

"And at one point in time, Orochimaru even said that Sasuke regretted not killing both you and Naruto those six months ago. He said your lives were so pitiful that he would have been doing you a favor."

"No!" Sasuke shouted. "No! Sakura! Don't listen to him! I'm not Orochimaru! The sannin is dead and I was just playing a part! You have to believe me!"

"Believe him?" Itachi shook his head. "Has he given you any reason to believe him? You'd let Orochimaru—the man who took Sasuke's body—live just to see him fight me some more?"

"Shut up!" She screamed at them. "Shut up!"

Itachi could see the rage in Sakura. He knew there were no more words that could stop her. She was going to attack him and she was going to give it everything she had. He took a few steps backward and picked up Sasuke's sword.

Even though her body was still weak, Sakura clenched her fists and steadied herself. Her life as a shinobi had led her to this point and there was no reason to let the fear of death hold her back.

She sent some of her meager chakra amount to her feet and raced toward Itachi.

She ducked low when she reached him, aiming for his knees and the vulnerable points in the leg.

He spun away from her, flipping back onto his hands to keep his legs out of her range. She wasn't strong enough to use any jutsus on him, but her strength was still present. It was another strangely equal battle for Itachi. He couldn't use his genjutsu one her. She had already shown him the risk of using the mangekyo on her and she was unsusceptible to a regular illusion. That left him with taijutsu and basic fire jutsus. He was more skilled than her but she was much stronger.

Sasuke watched from the oven of black fire, feeling the heat beginning to take its toll on his body. It was all he could do to keep his eyes open and on the fight.

"Sakura!" He called out. "Sakura…I…I…thank you."

The words froze her. They were the same words she had heard before but the meaning behind them felt completely different. Instead of an expression of appreciation, they felt like an admission of regret. And Sakura knew that it was something Orochimaru would not have been capable of.

"Sasuke-kun…" She turned slightly, giving Itachi the opening he wanted.

Hitting her with the hilt of the sword he made her fall to her knees. With his other hand he hit her hard enough to send her sprawling toward the ring of flames. She stopped just short of the fire.

Sakura had one glimmer of strength left.

She smiled gently, looking up at Sasuke from where she lay on the ground.

He watched as she made a fist and glanced around at his dungeon of flames. Strategically slamming her hand into the ground, she watched as the fire-weakened ground collapsed inward.

The flames still flickered, but at least they were buried in a three-foot pit.

She closed her eyes in triumph as Sasuke shakily stood—now free from where he had been held.

Now Itachi's rage had reached its peak. Now he was at his most dangerous point. With a snarl, he lunged at Sasuke, sword held high, taking advantage of the weakened state of his younger brother.

As he saw Itachi barreling down on him, Sasuke quickly summoned his chidori. The ball of lightning sputtered at first as Sasuke's strength faltered. He dove under the form of Itachi, hoping to catch him with the jutsu as he landed, but the older Uchiha was too fast.

He reached under, grabbing Sasuke as he somersaulted in the air, ending with him pinned beneath him. One of Itachi's feet pinned down the arm still holding chidori as his other knee pressed cruelly into Sasuke's chest.

Itachi held the sword at Sasuke's throat. "This is the end Sasuke. But your death was an honorable one."

Both brothers were surprised as a pair of strong hands grabbed a hold of them.

Sakura looked from one to the other, her face a mask of calm.

She leaned down next to Sasuke and whispered, "You know what to do next."

And then she clasped his hand that held chidori within her own. Instantly, Sakura's form went rigid as the current raced through her. But by the time Itachi realized the danger he was in—it was too late.

As he tried to back away, Sakura grabbed the blade of the sword.

Lightning current raced up the metal and into the sharingan master.

Itachi's eyes went wide with pain and shock. They mirrored Sasuke's.

Through clenched teeth, Sakura forced out the words, "Now, Sasuke! Increase the jutsu now!"

For a moment, Sasuke fought with himself. The chidori he had created was small—enough to paralyze but not kill. It was not of the same caliber as the current he used in unison with the sword. That current would kill if he wanted it to.

He would kill Itachi by increasing the power.

But that would mean using Sakura as a living conductor. She was his connection to the blade and to Itachi.

"No," He whispered, tears brimming in his eyes. "No…"

"Sasuke!" Sakura's voice was pained. "Now! Finish it! Please!" Her own tears fell freely. "Please…"

Closing his eyes, Sasuke sent the rest of his chakra into the palm of his hand—the palm of his hand that Sakura clung to.

The power surged in a brilliant flash of blue. It traveled through Sakura, up to where her bloody hand clutched the sword blade. And then it pitched through the hilt and into Itachi.

There were sparks and a blinding flash of light.

Sasuke felt a huge, crushing, outward blast of power and felt Sakura's hand ripped from his grasp.

He lay there, too weak at first to do anything other than blink against the black spots in his vision. As the dust around him settled, the truth of what had happened hit him and he sat up. His gaze briefly touched on the smoking form of Itachi. But he quickly passed his brother over, instead, focusing on where a different body lay.

_No!_ Sasuke crawled over to her. _No!_

_No, no no!_

He rolled her over gently, unable to detect a heart beat. But his sharingan could see the faint ebb of her chakra. She was still alive—but barely.

Sasuke began to notice what was going on around them. Smoke billowed in from where fire raged through the forest. And there was no sign of any of his other comrades. _Perhaps…Naruto got them all to safety._

Their initial point of entry into the clearing was blocked by a wall of black flame. And where amateratsu ended, normal fire ate away at the landscape. Their options of exit were swiftly vanishing.

Sasuke stood, picking Sakura up gently. He stood over Itachi for a moment and he knew beyond a doubt that his brother was dead.

Sasuke felt strangely at peace. He hadn't killed his brother in cold blood. It had been an honorable fight and he had done what he had to do in order to protect himself and those he cared about.

He glanced down at Sakura._ She needs medical attention and soon._

Looking through the smoke, he spotted an area of untouched trees. It was the opposite direction he wanted to go, but it was his only chance.

He held Sakura tightly and headed for the forest.

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On the hill, Naruto watched as Kakashi summoned large waves of water from a nearby creek.

_Humph .Must be handy to have all those copied jutsus._

But the blond was anxious to get back through the scorched land and to his friends. As much as Kakashi was slowly stopping the fire, the area where they had left Sasuke and Sakura was still hidden from view by the orange flames.

"Kakashi-sensei! Come on! We need to get back!"

"Naruto, I can't quench amateratsu flames. They will continue to burn for seven days and seven nights. It would take Jiraiya-sama's fire sealing to break through them."

"We can't just leave them there! They could be—"

--a soot-covered form dropped in between them.

Sasuke hit his knees, barely hanging on to Sakura.

Naruto's blue eyes were huge but he sprung into action, lifting the limp form from the Uchiha's arms.

"Sakura-chan!" He shook her. "Sakura-chan!"

There was no response.

Naruto's unbelieving gaze misted over. "S-Sakura-chan?"

He looked at Sasuke and the other young man sadly shook his head.

Kakashi took a deep breath. Sakura needed care—and fast. And he still had Yamato and Sai to worry about. Those two were still unable to travel on their own and Sasuke didn't look much better for wear.

"Naruto," He felt for Sakura's pulse. "You need to get her awake. Find a way to bring her back. If she's conscious, she can borrow our chakra to heal herself."

"But…"

"Just do it!"

Naruto leaned in closer to the medic. "Sakura-chan? Sakura-chan! Are you going to give up this easily!?! Well!?! You're going to leave Sasuke here…"

He smiled slightly.

"…for Ino to look after?"

Sakura's eyes opened slightly but there was no other reaction.

Seeing that she was conscious, Kakashi grabbed her hand, motioning for Naruto to do the same. "Sakura… listen to me… heal yourself, just like you normally would. Naruto and I will provide the chakra."

The medic shook her head slightly. "No…no more…strength….left…can't heal…too much….damage…anyway…"

"Yes you can!" Kakashi said sternly. "Now do it!"

Her eyes closed and they could feel her body tense slightly with the effort.

No one knew how long they sat there like that. They only knew that it had been hours.

And then, the sensation of chakra use stopped. Sakura's body went limp once again and her eyes remained closed.

Kakashi pulled his hand away and shook his head.

The darkness of the night was offset by the orange backdrop of a still-burning forest.

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**Coming soon: Chapter 11: (Title to be announced) hehe**


	11. Chapter 11

…NO! I do NOT own Naruto!...

**Chapter 11: Awakenings**

Sasuke watched as Naruto and Kakashi pulled away from Sakura.

The copy-nin was shaking his head.

Sasuke stood and walked over to them and for once his face was anything but emotionless. He looked first at Naruto and then to Kakashi.

The other men were weary and almost out of chakra themselves. Naruto's blue eyes were exhausted and uncertain. Kakashi's were downcast.

Sasuke could not bring himself to look at Sakura and he closed his eyes. _You killed her. You used her to kill your brother—you knew she might die too. And you did it anyway._

He felt as if he had been kicked in the stomach. Had revenge consumed him that much that he had sacrificed one of the people closest to him? Maybe the one person who cared about him the most?

He had been cruel to her—always.

But she had remained true to him. Nothing he had ever said had made her hate him. He had even tried to make her forget him by hurting her the night he left. It would have been easier on her if she had hated him then.

But Sakura wasnt like him. She knew that with love there was no room for hate.

And now he had to live with what he had done.

He opened his eyes.

Sasuke looked first at Sakura's hand. For some reason, he couldn't tear his gaze from it. _Her…hand…_

…_Her hand!_

She had almost severed that hand on his blade.

And now, there was no visible sign of any wound.

Sasuke's eyes widened and he looked up.

Sakura's eyes were open slightly and she tried weakly to smile. He could now see the stronger pulse of chakra within her. Relieved, he turned off his sharingan.

But he was too slow when it came to rejoicing.

Naruto had already swept the young woman up into a hug. He gripped her tightly, almost hurting her as he cried silently in her hair.

Sakura was too weak to return the embrace and had to look pleadingly at Kakashi to help her out of the crushing hold.

"Naruto," Kakashi gently pulled them apart. "She's not healed yet. You need to be careful."

The blond nodded and broke the contact but after a second he grabbed her again, hugging her slightly less tightly.

Sakura smiled. "Naruto, Naruto, I'm alright. But…you're hurting me!"

He finally let go and looked up at her sheepishly. "Sorry Sakura-chan."

By this time, Sai and Yamato had also regained most of their strength and they had been standing by during the last hour.

While Yamato did not feel he knew Sakura well enough to hug her, he warmly clapped her on the back while mumbling, "Glad to have you back."

Sai, on the other hand, wanted to hug her but was so unaccustomed to that kind of emotion that he just stood there grinning like an idiot.

Kakashi gently ruffled her hair. "Yo."

And then it seemed as if everyone turned and looked at Sasuke at the exact same time. There was an uncomfortable silence.

Kakashi cleared his throat. Oi, eh, why dont we let Sakura get some rest. Nows a good time to start planning the best route home anyway.

He stood up and motioned for the others to follow, having to pull Naruto away since he didn't get the hint.

Only Sasuke stayed behind.

The Uchiha watched as Sakura leaned back against her pack, her eyes closed painfully. She was still pale and slightly ashen and he could see the damp sweat on her brow.

_She's been through so much._ He knew it was more than he would ever know.

After a moment, he sat down next to her.

She smiled slightly. "Sasuke-kun. I'm glad you're safe."

He smirked. "Hn."

They remained in companionable silence for a while, Sakura resting, Sasuke thinking.

"Sakura," He didn't look at her. "You shouldn't have done it."

Her pain-hazed eyes glanced at him. "Sasuke-kun…I…I wasn't trying to take your revenge from you…I just…he would have…"

Sasuke frowned. _She thinks I'm worried about the fact that she helped me?_ "I mean you shouldn't have taken such a risk."

Her eyes were closed again. "I don't stand off to the side anymore, Sasuke-kun."

"You could have been killed."

"_You_ could have been killed." She countered. "My life isn't worth more than yours. There's no reason I shouldn't have done exactly what I did."

"You could have died!" He said a little too forcefully and loudly, slamming his fist into the ground.

At the opposite end of camp, Kakashi glanced at him briefly and then turned away.

"You don't have to protect me anymore, Sasuke-kun," She whispered.

The Uchiha shook his head and sighed. "Sakura… if you had died…I would never have forgiven myself."

She turned her face toward him, her eyes slightly unbelieving. "Why?"

The fact that she even had to ask him that question caused his gut to wrench. "Because I lost everyone I cared about once before. And I gave them up again for power with Orochimaru. But when Naruto came to me for help…I was given another chance. I don't want to lose someone I care about ever again."

"You care about me?"

He swallowed. "All my life, I have never cared about anything more."

"Not even your revenge?"

He was silent.

Sakura nodded. "It's okay. I understand."

No, Sakura. He looked down at her. Not even my revenge. It blinded me for yearsthats true. But it couldnt destroy my feelings. Orochimaru and Kabuto and all their drugs couldnt destroy themthey could cloud thembut never erase them. They have always been there.

She smiled. The exhaustion from staying awake was taking its toll on her.

Sasuke could tell when her breathing evened out that she was sleeping. But instead of joining the others, he remained where he was.

He had a lot of time to make up for.

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**Coming soon: Chapter 12: Prologue**

**Author's note:** Chapter 12 will be the last chapter of this story.

I do not know if I will immediately begin writing another fanfiction. I am working on a short story for the "writers of the future" contest as well as revising a young adult novel I wrote. (Don't worry—the grammar and sentence formation in those works far surpasses my fanfiction writing).

I do still want to do a Kakashi/Rin story and maybe I will work on it in my spare time.

Keep your eyes open for chapter 12, it'll be up soon—but don't forget about my Sunday Rule. (Even though I did post this chapter on a Sunday)


	12. Chapter 12

…Someday I'll be a well-known writer…but it won't be because I own Naruto…because I DON'T…

**Chapter 12: Epilogue** ( Not prologue as I accidentally wrote at the end of chapter 11)

Tsunade shook her head and sighed as Kakashi finished his remarkable recount of what happened during Naruto's mission. It was the first reaction she had offered during the two-hour long tale.

Inside, she was smiling. Naruto really had a way of living up to all the faith people put in him. _Perhaps it is because he simply was meant to be Hokage._

She realized Kakashi was staring at her, waiting for a verbal response.

"That's really something," was all she could offer him.

"Eh, so it is…and Sasuke?"

Her brown eyes studied him. "You know Sasuke better than I. I am no judge of the person he is today compared to the person he used to be. If you feel he is no threat to Konoha and means to stay here, then I will trust your judgment."

The copy-nin groaned inwardly. Tsunade was putting him in a terrible position. If he said he trusted Sasuke only to have the Uchiha betray them again, it would fall back onto his shoulders. If he said no, then he was responsible for whatever punishment the council deemed worthy.

The Hokage waited patiently for his answer.

"It's true that Sasuke redeemed himself in the end of the battle. And it is true that Orochimaru is dead as well as is Itachi. But other than that…I cannot say anything for certain." He looked at her as she raised an eyebrow but continued on. "Perhaps you should ask someone who would know his intentions better."

Tsunade rolled her eyes. Kakashi always had a way of getting out of things.

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"Naruto!" Sakura shook him gently. "Have you been sleeping there all night?"

The young man opened his eyes groggily and glanced around the hospital room. "Eh? Sakura-chan?"

"You have, haven't you!?!"

"I guess I might have _accidentally_ fallen asleep in the chair." He grinned sheepishly.

"I'm fine, really." She pulled the covers tighter around her as she sat up in bed. "Shouldn't you be talking to Tsunade-sama?"

He shook his head. "Kakashi-sensei was going to do that. He said I should stay here."

Naruto watched his friend as she settled back against the pillows on her bed. She looked tired and her green eyes held a dullness he wasn't used to seeing. It was the first time since the journey home that she had been able to sit up without wincing in pain.

"Sakura-chan…what did he…Itachi…" They both turned as the door opened slightly.

Sasuke stepped into the room as he heard Naruto whisper his brother's name. He had no doubt that the blond was desperate to know what Sakura had been though, but he also knew that now was not the time to ask her. He wasn't sure if they should ever ask her. It was something she would tell them in her own time.

Sakura smiled as Sasuke stepped up to the bed. "Sasuke-kun."

He gave her a small, crooked smile and sat down on the end of the bed.

Naruto grinned. "Sasuke! Where have you been?"

"There was only one chair and you were sleeping in it."

"Only Kakashi's students wouldn't think to ask for another chair." Tsunade said from the doorway. She walked over and put a hand on Sakura's forehead. "You're feeling better?"

The young woman nodded, not meeting her teacher's eyes.

Tsunade understood and pretended not to notice. In a healing as intensive as Sakura's sometimes memories and thoughts are seen by the healer. And while Tsunade wished with all her person that she hadn't seen the images of Sakura's torture—she had. It embarrassed Sakura for her master to see her pain.

So Tsunade had forced herself to ignore it.

"Good," she said. "We'll keep you here one more night and then you can go."

As the sannin turned to leave she motioned to Sasuke. "Do you have a few moments?"

The Uchiha nodded.

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"You know why I want to speak with you." Tsunade fixed him with her stare. "So just be honest with me."

"Honest?"

She nodded. "What do you plan to do now?"

He was silent.

After a few moments, Tsunade stood and looked out the window at Konoha. "You know, Sasuke, I have sworn to protect Konoha. It is my duty and I take it very seriously. The people here look up to me." She turned back to him. "I am sure there are people who look up to you."

_So she knows already._ His face was blank but not cruelly so. "Sound is now without a leader."

She crossed her arms. "What about Kabuto? Kakashi did not know what happened to him—but I have a feeling you might."

The Uchiha shook his head. "He will not return to Sound."

"But you will?"

"I think I am next in line."

The sannin nodded. "That is true. But perhaps you should go there to make a difference and not pick up where it was left off."

He nodded. "Sound would be a valuable ally for Konoha."

"Do you think they will follow your rule? Do you think they can change?"

"Sound is a village like any other. It was founded for a breeding ground to fund Orochimaru's experiments. They have lived in fear for a lifetime. I do not see why they would resist a change for the better."

"You are welcome to stay in Konoha," she said. "If there is any attachment you have to this place you are welcome to stay."

Sasuke shook his head. "There is nothing keeping me here. I would ask, however, that all the old Uchiha buildings are burned when I leave."

"Burned?"

He nodded.

Tsunade could see there was something more to the request but she knew it was not her place to ask. She nodded. A part of her cringed as she thought of Sakura. Her apprentice would not do well to hear the news.

Sasuke shifted uncomfortably and the Hokage's eyes narrowed. She had never known of the Uchiha to seem uncertain about something. Most of her reports had him rather void of reaction and emotion.

But he was fidgeting nonetheless.

"There is something else…" He stilled and met her eyes. "I think Sound would benefit from the medical knowledge Konoha has. There are many people there who have been tortured and maimed. Kabuto rarely healed with his abilities. Perhaps…"

Tsunade was grinning on the inside, but she kept her face serious as she looked down at her notes. "Of course. I'll tell Shizune to pack right away."

Her smile broke through as she saw Sasuke visibly blanch.

"Sasuke," she said, "if it's what she wants, she has my blessing. But _I'm_ not going to be the one to ask her."

He nodded curtly before turning and exiting the office.

Tsunade shook her head. There was one more thing she had to do now.

She stood and walked out to find Naruto.

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Sasuke knocked quietly before he stepped through the door and into Sakura's room.

The young woman was still reclining in bed, staring out the nearby window. At the sight of him she sat up and smiled.

Sasuke sat down in the chair Naruto had finally vacated. He remained quiet.

Sakura watched him for a while but turned her attention back outside when Sasuke didn't speak.

After a few long moments, the Uchiha broke the silence.

"Sakura," he said. "I'm leaving."

Her green eyes went wide as she turned to him.

"I am going back to Sound. I will be Kage in Orochimaru's stead."

The words were like daggers in Sakura's chest. It was just like that moment three years ago. He was leaving—again. She didn't reply and looked down at her hands. She didn't have any tears or energy left to cry.

Sasuke watched her reaction with interest. "Tsunade thinks it is for the best. I will be able to do much good there."

Silence.

Sasuke sighed. "The people there need help, Sakura." He leaned down and broke the line of her gaze. "_All kinds_ of help."

A small glimmer of recognition and she looked up. "What are you trying to say?"

"I want you to go with me."

She almost smiled. He had meant it to sound casual but it had come out awkward and hurried. It was unlike Sasuke to lose his composure—if even slightly. _But what will Naruto say?_

He waited for her to say something but she wasn't humoring him. Irrational fears began to tug at the back of his mind. Maybe she would say no. Maybe he reminded her too much…

"Sakura…I am not my brother."

Instantly her eyes snapped up to his. "Why would you say that?"

"Because I need to know if I am going to remind you of what he did every time you see me."

"Sasuke," she shook her head and sighed. "You are not your brother."

"Then you'll come with me?"

She smiled. "I will. But what about…"

The door burst open as Naruto flew in.

"You guys won't believe it!" He jumped between them. "Granny Tsunade is going to name me her successor! I'm going to be Hokage!!"

They stared at him, dumbfounded.

Naruto crushed them both into a hug. "And once you guys rebuild Sound, then we'll gather up Gaara and we'll go build alliances with all the other countries! There will be no more war! I'll see to it!"

Sakura laughed as Naruto babbled on. "Naruto! You don't mind that we're leaving?"

His expression sobered. "Well, I'm going to miss you guys. But Tsunade said that she wanted me to work along with Hinata-chan to help find a way to unite all the Countries, so I'm sure I'll be really busy and we'll see each other all the time."

Sakura's smile grew. Tsunade was wilier than she seemed. "I think you're right, Naruto."

The three friends sat there, in the hospital room, talking of their future plans until late into the night.

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**THE END -story note:** Why did Sasuke want the Uchiha buildings burned? The history of the Uchiha that was hidden in the secret meeting place describes the true purpose of the sharingan. He wanted it burned so no future Uchihas took the path Itachi did.

**Author's note:** Sorry it took me a few days to update. Christmas week is insane for me and I've been driving all over the state for various reasons. I won't be writing fanfiction for a little while as previously stated—but I have an awesome story line for another Sasu/Saku story… if there is an aspiring writer out there who wants to take it on, let me know. I'll only pass it on to someone who will finish it and update quickly.


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